New Atlantic Highway to Open Tommorrow

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
Hi:

The section of highway from El Catey to Las Terrenas will be opened tomorrow by El Presidente himself. The toll booths are up however at this time they are not collecting any tolls. We will see what happens in the future. They have put a lot of money into the construction of the booths and admin bld. For the life of me I don't understand why they didn't put the toll booths on the new section just past the El Catey entrance. Yes the would not have collected as much money but there would probably be no controversy. Anyway, it will be about 15 minutes from LT to El Catey. Yaaaa HOOOO.

S
 

ninapup

Member
Sep 16, 2004
159
4
18
WOW! At last...we'll get to drive it on Monday. See you on the beach Steve! It will seem strange, we've been driving that mountain road since it was a path back in 1982. I remember kids with shovels standing by the side waiting for a few pesos to fill in the potholes. I'm sure they unfilled them as soon as we were out of sight. Last year we saw a couple of kids doing the same thing, haven't seen that for years...a great tradition. More jobs lost.
 

Gordon

New member
Jan 24, 2011
318
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0
Nickie reopens her Canadian bar El Pub on the new highway tomorrow in celebration of all the new pavement and pretty painted stripes and new reflectors. drop in and say hi. maybe the pres will be there too.
 

matt77y

Member
Jan 4, 2003
36
2
8
Thats really great news!
One question: will the people who have a house in coson be required to pay the toll every time the go to LT and back?
 

Gordon

New member
Jan 24, 2011
318
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There is no toll between Coson and LT. The toll booth is on the far side of El Catey from coson so no toll to the airport either. One only pays the toll if you leave Samana for Santo Domingo or Nagua
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
The last section of the new road from Coson to LT was just paved over the weekend. It is nice and wide and smooth.

S
 

vlokje

New member
May 13, 2004
54
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I was told that there will be portable,or mobile toll booth just for the new road,till the elctions and then they want to open the big toll booth,they don?t want trouble before the elections.
 

Gordon

New member
Jan 24, 2011
318
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If you come from Puerto Plata or Santo Domingo the new road will save time and be safer. Instead of heading down the bay side of Samana, you hug the Atlantic coast and avoid having to cross the peninsula over the mountains. The mountain road has some serious ditches, elevations, and tight corners that made it quite dangerous to drive. The new road will also open access to some of the most beautiful beaches that were not along the existing route. It is a very scenic drive and a wider road in much better condition. This project, along with the new international airport should make Samana a destination for a lot more people. The beauty is understated for the most part and it is still fairly undeveloped commercially so there is potential for a major increase in population.
Billboards are up in several locations describing some projects that if they are ever completed would make this area much more upscale. I have friends that have noticed some advertising of the area internationally and it would make sense if a global marketing budget continues the people will arrive eventually. As it stands now most businesses are suffering from lack of paying customers.
 

Tonydomrep

Member
Feb 22, 2009
226
2
18
old road El Catey - Las Terrenas 35-40 minutes
new road El Catey - Las Terrenas 15 minutes

Its beautiful !!!!
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
Hi:
From Puerta Plata it is a straight shot on Rt 5. Go thru Nagua and head for Samana. In about 15kms you will see the entrance for the Santo Domingo highway on your left. In about 3-5kms you will see the toll plaza across the highway. Go thru, no toll and immediately you will see the entrance to the new section of road that goes into Coson and Las Terrenas. Instead of 45 minutes it takes 15. Believe me you don't need GPS or google maps. If you miss it you are blind.

S
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
Hi:
From Puerta Plata it is a straight shot on Rt 5. Go thru Nagua and head for Samana. In about 15kms you will see the entrance for the Santo Domingo highway on your left. In about 3-5kms you will see the toll plaza across the highway. Go thru, no toll and immediately you will see the entrance to the new section of road that goes into Coson and Las Terrenas. Instead of 45 minutes it takes 15. Believe me you don't need GPS or google maps. If you miss it you are blind.

S

Isn't the SDQ highway on the RIGHT , just after the ISLA station?
 

Gordon

New member
Jan 24, 2011
318
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0
I always thought a real oddity in this road system is after you are leave Santo Domingo and wanting to turn onto the toll road just before the airport. They never really made the turn off clear considering it leads to so many interesting places. It is hard to even describe the turn off to someone not familiar with it. Even if you make the turn off the narrow underpass road and lane freak outs are pretty weird to get to the first toll booth.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
For such an expensive and critical road/link to the No Coast to be so poorly marked in both directions baffles me too.