SANTO DOMINGO – The government completed 271 infrastructure projects last year, with an investment of more than RD$90.39 billion pesos, and plans to build 1,581 more in 2023, President Luis Abinader announced yesterday during his accountability speech before the National Assembly.
The president stated that his government has invested nearly RD$12 billion pesos in the construction of sidewalks and curbs nationwide and announced that the Navarrete bypass will begin in the first half of 2023, after a year and a half of design and bidding.
He reported that the construction designs and economic feasibility studies for the Amber Highway have been completed and that in the next 45 days the General Directorate of Public-Private Partnerships (DGAPP) will launch the bidding process through an innovative financial scheme.
“And unlike the Samaná highway in the past, in this case there will be no shadow toll,” the Dominican head of state clarified.
Regarding the road maintenance program, from February 2022 to February 2023 the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) has worked in 1,962 sectors and neighborhoods in the 31 provinces and the National District covering an area of more than 15 million meters, with an investment of more than RD$14,000 million pesos, Abinader stated.
Among the main road infrastructure projects inaugurated in the last year, he cited: the Azua Bypass, the overpass and the marginal roads of Las Américas, in Andrés Boca Chica; the Ecological Avenue, up to Juan Pablo II Avenue and its distributor, Stage I; the Sabaneta–Martin García highway; the Joaquín Balaguer highway completely rehabilitated from Santiago to Navarrete.
The president added to the list section IV on the Southern Ring Road of Santiago; the Guazumal-Hermanas Mirabal – Tamboril Highway; Higo de Agua – Palo Alto; Palo Verde – La 70, among others.
Regarding bridge construction, he mentioned Bajabonico, Unijica, and Las Canas. He also mentioned the reconstruction of the Cruce Duarte-Castañuela and Cruce El Jamo-Sabaneta highways, and the repair of the metal bridge over the Higuamo River on the Hato Mayor-Yerba Buena highway.
He also reported that 24 construction projects are underway, totaling 364 km of rural roads, which will be completed this year, promoting agroforestry development.
“But we don’t want to stop there, the road transformation process in the Dominican Republic will continue in 2023 with the completion of far-reaching infrastructure projects such as: The San Francisco de Macorís Ring Road; the widening of the San Isidro highway; the Barahona-Enriquillo highway; the reconstruction of the Bayaguana-El Puerto highway; the completion of the Monte Plata-Chirino highway; the Hato Mayor-Sabana de La Mar highway; the construction of the Avenida Hípica; the solution for Km 9 of the Duarte Highway and the reconstruction of the Samaná-Las Galeras Highway.
He emphasized that his administration has not fallen into the "Adam syndrome," which leads to wanting to start everything from scratch, but that in addition to starting many new projects, it has also given continuity to many works started by previous governments, which were paralyzed or in execution.
He said that in Santiago they continue working rapidly on the Monorail works, which will be completed by the second quarter of next year, and on the cable car, which will be ready by the end of 2023.
“In Santo Domingo, work is underway on the project to double the capacity of Metro Line 1, which will be ready by the middle of this year, and on the extension of Line 2-C to Los Alcarrizos, which will be completed next year, 2024.”.
Abinader stated that, in addition to large investments, the government is carrying out small projects where they are most needed, through the territorial cohesion fund, supporting local governments in the 50 poorest municipalities and municipal districts in the country to change the lives of their people.
“This modest fund is co-financing 121 small projects in those 50 territories. These are public works and economic initiatives that have been identified by the communities and their authorities as being of high interest and have been evaluated as having high social returns, such as the construction of sidewalks and curbs, funeral homes and cemeteries, slaughterhouses, markets, parks, and community economic and environmental protection projects.
The president highlighted that through the provincial development commission, 34 projects of this type, such as sports centers, basketball courts, baseball fields, and churches, have already been delivered throughout the country in 2022.
