Signposting B?varo/Coral highway

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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If driving from B?varo to La Romana/Santo Domingo, don't rely on roadsigns to take you to the new highway. It is crazy. The only signs that mention Santo Domingo direct drivers via Higuey, the old route.

If you approach the Coco Loco crossing heading towards Ver?n, there is no indication that turning left takes you to the highway.

Even if you do turn left, the signs only mention Airport, Punta Cana, Cap Cana. It's not until you are actually on the big roundabout, at the precise point where it turns onto the Coral Highway, that Santo Domingo (and La Romana) are signposted.

If you continue straight on the Coco Loco crossing it takes you to the Cruce de Ver?n, where Santo Domingo is signposted - but via Higuey.

If you turn right at Coco Loco, it takes you back to Friusa/B?varo.
 

Conchman

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Jul 3, 2002
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I was driving from Juan Dolio to Punta Cana and somehow managed to miss the new highway, ended up on the old highway and had to drive through Higuey. If you are not familiar with the route, you will also miss turns when going to Santo Domingo while passing through Santiago (and vice versa), as they tend to only put signs on the road once you are on the right road already, instead of before the turn.

If driving from B?varo to La Romana/Santo Domingo, don't rely on roadsigns to take you to the new highway. It is crazy. The only signs that mention Santo Domingo direct drivers via Higuey, the old route.

If you approach the Coco Loco crossing heading towards Ver?n, there is no indication that turning left takes you to the highway.

Even if you do turn left, the signs only mention Airport, Punta Cana, Cap Cana. It's not until you are actually on the big roundabout, at the precise point where it turns onto the Coral Highway, that Santo Domingo (and La Romana) are signposted.

If you continue straight on the Coco Loco crossing it takes you to the Cruce de Ver?n, where Santo Domingo is signposted - but via Higuey.

If you turn right at Coco Loco, it takes you back to Friusa/B?varo.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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RD and road signage have always had a tenuous relationship.
There are lots of new signs along the route: the colourful ones by the Ministry of Tourism, the green and white presumably by Obras P?blicas. Mr C thinks it's deliberate - local politicians and business interests wanting to keep channelling traffic through Higuey - but sounds far-fetched to me.

I was driving from Juan Dolio to Punta Cana and somehow managed to miss the new highway, ended up on the old highway and had to drive through Higuey. If you are not familiar with the route, you will also miss turns when going to Santo Domingo while passing through Santiago (and vice versa), as they tend to only put signs on the road once you are on the right road already, instead of before the turn.
I remember when you first posted this and it surprised me - it's extremely difficult to rejoin the old road after going through La Romana, taking the usual route across the bridge and past the entrances to the Zona Franca and Casa de Campo, unless you get on to the highway and leave it at the first exit. Every time I've done the trip I've tried to work out how this could've happened.
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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Just accept that it happened and don't dwell too much beyond that. Otherwise, you run the risk of losing your mind. lol
 
Feb 7, 2007
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I was driving from Juan Dolio to Punta Cana and somehow managed to miss the new highway, ended up on the old highway and had to drive through Higuey.

If you come through La Romana it is impossible to miss the new highway, because FROM La Romana heading East - towards Bayahibe, Higuey, bavaro (even to get to LRM airport) right now there is no other way to exit La Romana than by entering the new highway!!!

Is it possible that you may have trekked somehow from La Romana to El Seybo (going NORTH in La Romana instead of East), then from Cruce de Pavon (before reaching El Seybo) turning right to get to Higuey, then heading to Bavaro ?? ... BUT there are no signs (that I have seen) in Romana directing towards El Seybo .... coming from SPM you would have had to go straight at the first big intersection in LRM (by the huge LED billboard) instead of turning right (and there is signage directing traffic to turn right towards Higuey and Bavaro), from the intersaction continuing straight on P. Abreu, getting to turnabout (La Rotonda) then circling and heading north towards Seybo... but again there are no signs, so I doubt you have headed north towards El Seybo and then onwards to Higuey.
 
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Juanb

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Mar 15, 2012
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While we are talking about signs on the new highway, let's talk about how many completely useless signs ther are. Whoever got the contract for these signs must be very well connected. My favorite are the many "Don't damage the sign" signs, followed by the "Respect life" beauties.
 

yb1

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Oct 6, 2008
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While we are talking about signs on the new highway, let's talk about how many completely useless signs ther are. Whoever got the contract for these signs must be very well connected. My favorite are the many "Don't damage the sign" signs, followed by the "Respect life" beauties.

And what about all the signs for obscure places like Cruce Gina and the other Gina sign, Gina Jobo or something and Batey Inthemiddleofnowhere? Where and what is this Gina place? I've never heard of it before I saw the signs.
 

PJT

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Jan 8, 2002
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reasonable signage ?????

One has to understand the sign culture here. What may be considered reasonable signage to us where road and destination information signage forms a seamless orientation trail throughout the country escapes the will and the intelligence of the government to provide for that need.

PJT suggests part of this poor signage culture is a holdover from the Trujillo era and some of following governments to maintain public order by passively restricting travel, an agenda during a time when the public would barely leave their barrios, never mind travel by car even if one of the neighbors had one. The governments withheld signage as a money saving scheme :bandit: and to keep the public confused. The only travelers who knew routes were the commercial drivers. An additional aspect of lack of signage is when the government did provide a sign it did not last long after posted. The signs were sought after as construction material, made good siding or roofing. The public felt that the government did not give back enough to them so they took from the government. Result: the traveling public suffered lack of direction.

The years have passed and the old agenda/designs for denying road information have been lost to the winds. Yet, the poor behavior continues. If there is signage, it is provided by the contractor - road builder as part of his contractual responsibilities. Additional signage may be provided by commercial enterprises having an desire to direct traffic to places of interest. Ancillary signage that direct and funnel taffic to the new highways and beyond destinations is nonexisitent in places such as Coco Loco because it is a local road subject to poor behavior.


Regards

PJT