Metro in SD???

Voyager

New member
Mar 1, 2004
256
0
0
Hi guys!

For various reasons, I have been kind of silent for a while...

But now I just have to ask you usually well-informed folks: What is happening with the (insane!!!) metro project in Santo Domingo?

Questions:

1) Who is the contractor(s)?
2) How is the financing achieved?
3) What is the planning / schedule?
4) Anything else?

Appreciate any feedback!

/John
 

aegap

Silver
Mar 19, 2005
2,505
10
0
It scapes me. But hey I prefer to look at the good; Santo Domingo will have a Metro next time I go to San Pedro Macoris and decide to take the bus for a short visit to the Capital!
 

Voyager

New member
Mar 1, 2004
256
0
0
aegap said:
It scapes me. But hey I prefer to look at the good; Santo Domingo will have a Metro next time I go to San Pedro Macoris and decide to take the bus for a short visit to the Capital!

Next time you visit, there will be a metro? When is that? 2020BC?
 

aegap

Silver
Mar 19, 2005
2,505
10
0
Wait 'till Diandino gets the $750 million dollars aproved by congress.
Have your seen what they've been able to do with a mere $750 million pesos, solely intended for an impact study?
 

Mirador

On Permanent Vacation!
Apr 15, 2004
3,563
0
0
Voyager said:
Hi guys!

For various reasons, I have been kind of silent for a while...

But now I just have to ask you usually well-informed folks: What is happening with the (insane!!!) metro project in Santo Domingo?

Questions:

1) Who is the contractor(s)?
2) How is the financing achieved?
3) What is the planning / schedule?
4) Anything else?

Appreciate any feedback!

/John


In a watershed session, our Honorable Congress has decided to scuttled the metro project until the electricity crisis has been addressed.
 

Voyager

New member
Mar 1, 2004
256
0
0
aegap said:
Wait 'till Diandino gets the $750 million dollars aproved by congress.
Have your seen what they've been able to do with a mere $750 million pesos, solely intended for an impact study?


Hm... I am holding my breath...

...and - incidentally - I'd be willing to do the impact study for them, for a mere $250 million pesos! But then again, money is no prob's for dr, is it?
 

aegap

Silver
Mar 19, 2005
2,505
10
0
Mirador, did you just say the metro won't be built within my lifetime? Are you serious?
 
Jan 5, 2006
1,582
38
0
From what I've read and seen on news shows, there are multiple contractors working on the project. Right now, most of the work has been on the construction of supports for the above ground portion, which will span the area between the intersection of Nicolas De Ovando and Maximo Gomez and Villa Mella. They have also worked on the entrance to a tunnel for the underground section (don't know the exact location), and also in the area of the centro olimpico, where there will be a station. Yesterday, they received sealed bids for the train cars. That portion of the contract is supposed to be awarded and announced within 10 days.

As for the financing, they seem to be doing it with smoke and mirrors, as nobody seems to be exactly clear on where the money is coming from. The administration has stated on multiple times that they are going ahead with the project, with or without the approval of congress.

Personally, I know that it's a crazy project to undertake considering the dire needs in other areas. However, I'm also sure that 15 to 20 years from now, if it ends up being completed by 2016, it won't seem like it was such a bad idea after all.
 

monster

New member
Oct 16, 2005
118
0
0
I was just in DR for about a month in the Villa Mella area and I notice the work on the Metro project has been proceeding very rapidly. Let just hope they can keep it this way.
 

samiam

Bronze
Mar 5, 2003
592
0
0
aegap said:
Wait 'till Diandino gets the $750 million dollars aproved by congress.
Have your seen what they've been able to do with a mere $750 million pesos, solely intended for an impact study?

Funny thing about that $750MM study is that I've never seen the results, to my knowledge, they have not been made public. For that price tag, I think they should have been put out in the public, unless the results would have been detremental to the metro project.... speaking off, there are rumors of poor soil conditions in some areas. But its all good, after all, e'pa lante que vamos.
 

Budson

New member
Mar 10, 2004
145
2
0
69
Having lived here for over two years now and seeing a little of the previous administration, it "appears" that the current government is aggressive on making infrastructure investments. In the hopes of not starting a political discussion, is this an accurate observation?

As for other investments, I followed the proposed route of the new highway from SDQ to Samana, picking it up at Monte Plata. I did not get the impression that this road will be completed in two years.
 
Jan 5, 2006
1,582
38
0
Budson said:
Having lived here for over two years now and seeing a little of the previous administration, it "appears" that the current government is aggressive on making infrastructure investments. In the hopes of not starting a political discussion, is this an accurate observation?

That is fairly accurate. Personally, I view this administration as more progressive thinking than that of the other parties. Leonel Fernandez brings an air of high intellect to the office of the president, that is not as evident when the other parties have held the office.

It must be noted that the past administrations headed by the PRSC (Joaquin Balaguer) were also noted for doing a lot of building, but their efforts were more visible in the areas of housing, hospitals and schools.

However, the main problem with all administrations in DR is the common practice of abandoning and/or neglecting projects that were started by their predecessors. Even worse, is the practice of overhauling standing practices that may be working properly, just because another party created them. It creates a lot of waste, and is mostly done to create more opportunities for the sitting party to steal from the people.
 

aegap

Silver
Mar 19, 2005
2,505
10
0
samiam said:
Funny thing about that $750MM study is that I've never seen the results [...]


The result is there, I suggest you take a drive down Maximo Gomez and take a look.... Like monster did;) .
 

samiam

Bronze
Mar 5, 2003
592
0
0
aegap said:
The result is there, I suggest you take a drive down Maximo Gomez and take a look.... Like monster did;) .

I took you up on that. I just came from that area. I saw they took a huge chunk of land from parque Mirador Norte too.
Its a shame, I think that IF Dominicans knew how to drive in a civilized manner there would be no need for this stupid metro, they would have saved themselves a lot of money and headaches.
Transport is the new Electricity problem. No matter how much money they throw at it, it will never be resolved because there are a lt of people getting stinking rich out of it!
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
There Was An Entire Suppliment In "Diario Libre" a Few Days Ago On The "METRO"!

Basically an "interview" with the main supporter of the project(Pena"?)and a few other Engineers/contractors who stand to become "multi billionares" (In Pesos) as this project drags on till it's eventualy demise!
He said,"This project will go on,even though there have not been complete engineering studies,environmental studies,geological studies(Hey! No studies have been DONE!) So what? Would YOU rely on ANY study done here? Especially when those doing the study stand to make millions,depending on the results of that study???
This "Project" will do to the DR,just what the "Baninter" disaster did a few short years ago!
THe real "Winners" are the "political Parties"(AllThree!) and their "Hangers-On"! The real "Losers" will "AGAIN" be the Dominican Public,who will have to pay the "Tab"!

And "IF" it is ever finished,it will be so expensive that no "Poor" Dominican will be able to afford to ride it,and the "Rich",who can afford it,will NEVER ride it!!

The "cheapest" form(After Walking)of transportation is riding a bicycle.Have you EVER seen ANYONE on a Bicycle? Those who tried,died!!
The Government can't run a "Pulico",a "Gua-Gua Line",bus line,so how can they run a "METRO"??
At least it is "Fun" watching these idiots try.
I love to say, "I Told You So!"..."What A Country!"
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

I just wish they would have started the "Artificial Island" project,the "Train" to Santiago,and most "Fun" of all "The Nuclear Power Plant"!
"Can you say"The DR is uninhabitable for 250,000 years???!
 

Budson

New member
Mar 10, 2004
145
2
0
69
Oh boy! I lived near Boston for 20 years and experinced the "Big Dig". Now that I moved arround the corner from Maximo Gomez I can see the Dominican version of it.