DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

On 31 March 2026, President Luis Abinader officially inaugurated the long-awaited expansion and reconstruction of the main entrance to Samaná. The 1.2-kilometer project, timed to welcome visitors at the start of the Holy Week (Semana Santa) holiday, upgrades the gateway to the province to four lanes, aiming to reorganize traffic flow, enhance road safety, and bolster the region’s growing tourism and productive sectors.

The RD$1.2 billion intervention involved a total reconstruction of the road’s structure. To accommodate heavy-duty traffic and the province’s specific geological challenges, engineers used stabilized base and sub-base layers and installed a specialized integrated drainage system.

Given the high presence of groundwater in the area, the drainage system included:• Standard gutters and culverts.• Advanced storm drainage and sub-drains to prevent...