President Luis Abinader began yesterday the work of extension of the Duarte highway, in the section of kilometer 9, where the road will have from 8 to 14 lanes, action that is part of the Executive Project of Road Solution in this important land communication route of the country and its link with the city of Santo Domingo.
When pronouncing the central words of the inauguration act, the Minister of Public Works, Deligne Ascención, informed that the estimated budget for this project exceeds RD$900 million and that the estimated time for its execution will be 10 months.
He announced that this intervention will include improvement of roads, reconstruction and expansion of vehicular bridges, including the construction of two new bridges on the north and south sides, a new pedestrian bridge, relocation of the peddlers’ booths and the electrical system, drainage works, sidewalks, curbing, tree planting, lighting, urban restoration, among others.
The official stressed that the road solution for Km 9 of the Duarte highway is an integral part of the reconstruction and expansion process of this important and strategic road along its 270-kilometer route.
“This process began in the Santiago-Santo Domingo direction, and that simultaneously the Santiago-Navarrete route is being rebuilt, it will continue with the construction of the Navarrete ring road, to end with the reconstruction of the Navarrete-Montecristi road section”, referred.
Extension details
The construction of the Duarte highway began in 1917, as a result of the first North American occupation in 1916. It was inaugurated in May 1922
The Minister of Public Works stressed that the expansion works include the construction of two new bridges on the north and south sidesparallel to the existing ones, with a length of 30 meters and a width of 7.
Kilometer 9 is located at the intersection of the Duarte highway and Luperón avenue, a road that will also be remodeled and expanded. The reconstruction of the central bridges, (upper section Km 9), will facilitate the expansion of Av. Luperón from 4 to 6 lanes, increasing the capacity for automobile traffic.
Ascención explained that the traffic studies carried out in 2015 indicated an Average Annual Vehicle Intensity (IMDA) of 88,000 vehicles per day at Km 9, and 44,000 vehicles per day at Luperón Avenue, and that for this 2022, the update of those studies showed 103,000 vehicles/day in Km 9, and 55,000 vehicles/day in Luperón.
500,000 trips
Km 9 of the Duarte highway is the main entrance access to the National District, through which more than 500,000 daily trips between urban, suburban and interurban passengers travel.
60% of the population
This highway has connection with 60% of the total population of the country, settled in the National District, Santo Domingo Oeste, Los Alcarrizos, Pantoja, Los Girasoles, Los Peralejos and the most active and productive provinces, located in Cibao, Northwest Line and the Northeast region.
Chaos
Every morning the long traffic jam that is generated at kilometer 9 of the Duarte highway creates problems for thousands of workers to get to their jobs.