The island has 5,000 km of highways
While experts say that the north and the south are well connected, others want a more direct highway from Santiago to San Juan de la Maguana. Nonetheless, the Dominican Republic is one of the very most connected countries in the entire Latin American region. Starting with the construction of the Duarte Highway in 1917, which links the Cibao with the capital, and then, later on after the United States intervention, subsequent governments built the Sanchez and Mella roads that connect the south and east with Santo Domingo.
And so the country was becoming more connected, with the Las Americas and the 6 of November and the big Duarte highways providing fast access to most of the country’s population. Other highways, such as the Autovia del Este, Autopista del Coral and the Autopista del Nordeste (Juan Pablo II) connect the leading tourist areas.
Still there is a call for more highways. But most experts believe that in relation to its size, economy and population, the Dominican Republic has more than adequate highways. According to Pedro Delgado Malagon, a former Minister of Public Works and the president of Tecnoamerica, for a country of 48,000 km2, it has 5,400 kilometers of highways that are “adequate in number and distribution”.
When it comes to road quality, the Dominican Republic is ranked 62nd of 144 countries in the quality of roads section in the World Economic Forum’s 2013 Global Competitiveness Report.
Dominican Republic Live, From DT, 19.02.13, 4pm
