SANTO DOMINGO.-If you travel to the Cibao region during this period, you will encounter detours and some inconveniences typical of a remodeling process, such as the one currently underway on the country's longest road, the Duarte Highway, which spans 151 kilometers and is estimated to carry more than 30,000 vehicles daily.
With a large investment projected at RD$3,865,019,018.90, the Government assures that it is transforming the infrastructure "into the safest and most modern road in the country," facilitating and speeding up the interconnection between Greater Santo Domingo and the 14 provinces of Cibao.
The Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC), explains in a statement under the paid space modality, that the road will go from six lanes to 14, in a solution that includes the remodeling of its intersection with Luperón Avenue, while the entrance and exit to Santiago goes from four to six lanes.
He adds that it will extend the highway from Navarrete to Montecristi, "connecting with the port renovation, the energy infrastructure for more than 800 MWs and a natural gas terminal, as well as the development of a tourist hub in the Manzanillo Bay area.".
The work begins with the remodeling of the entrance and exit of the capital towards the North region, at kilometer.
What includes
The MOPC details that along the road they are milling or removing the previous fills, applying new asphalt, building 400 kilometers of longitudinal and transverse drainage, eliminating 169 illegal crossings, and constructing 19 functional return lanes.
Also, four bridges for motorcycles and pedestrians and the Jarabacoa, Arenoso, Pontón, Bonao I and II and Jeremías interchanges are being rehabilitated.
In addition, 11 bridges are being widened from the area known as Las 7S in La Vega to Santiago. An overpass is being built at kilometer 22, the Jayaco bridge is being rehabilitated, and the toll will be moved from kilometer 24 to kilometer 33, "which will exempt thousands of people who live in the area from paying it.".
On the highway
The Duarte Highway was originally built in the 1960s as a two-lane north-south route to connect the country's two main cities: Santo Domingo and Santiago de los Caballeros.
By the 1980s, traffic volume had already doubled its design capacity, causing high accident rates and serious congestion.
In 1994, the Dominican Government arranged for its expansion from Santo Domingo to Santiago to create a high-quality highway with 4 to 6 lanes.
This highway integrates 6.7 million inhabitants by land, equivalent to 63% of the country's population, starting in the Capital and ending at the Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration in the city of Santiago.
Currently, the Duarte Highway has 163 illegal crossings created by residents of the surrounding communities, so the Public Works plan includes the elimination of these, installing safe U-turns.
In 2019, 831 traffic accidents occurred on this highway, leaving 212 dead and hundreds injured. Subsequently, from January to August 2020, there were 483 accidents and 72 deaths, according to data provided by Digesett.
Sources: Listín Diario, Diario Libre, redaccionRD, Coindisa.
Photo: Listín Diario.
