[DR1] The road to Samana

[NewsWhore]

Tolls on the first 8km completed stretch of the highway that will provide the shortest south-north connection in the country (from Santo Domingo to Samana), is already generating an average RD$65,000-RD$100,000 in tolls. Last week Clave Digital reported on the road to Samana. The road is completed from Km. 18.5 of the Las Americas Expressway in the Province of Santo Domingo to Carretera Mella, near the crossing to Guerra. The highway, under construction by a Colombian company, Autopistas del Nordeste, will include the Las Americas Expressway toll booth, but another at Km. 40 outside of Monte Plata and Bayaguana towns and another at Km., shortly before the Cruce de Rincon de Molenillo that will lead to Samana. The company says that on average 530 to 600 vehicles have been using the stretch that was opened on 22 March. The company charges RD$18 for vehicles, RD$35 for buses and RD$45-RD$70 for trucks for the 8km stretch that enables truckers to avoid traffic congestion. The 106km highway will have an estimated cost of US$151 million. It will be named after Pope John Paul II and will connect the provinces of Santo Domingo, Monte Plata, Maria Trinidad Sanchez and Samana. It is estimated that one will be able to cross the country south to north in an hour 30 minutes if driving at an average speed of 80kph. The journey currently takes approximately four hours and is about 211 kms. The highway is a tolls concession for 30 years, with costs indexed to the Consumer Price Index.

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