Drivers Repairing Tourist Highway

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
I traveled on the mountain road between POP/Sosua and Santiago (Carretera Turistica) 2 weeks ago. Still places where you had to slow down and do a little weaving, but all in all it was in much better condition than I expected. This piece in today's Sosua News explains why:

[h=5]Caused by heavy rains, the tourist route between Puerto Plata and Santiago became almost impassable to traffic. In many places, pieces of the road have been washed away and the road is littered with potholes. The rains has washed away many pieces of asphalt. Residents who live along the road and drivers of public transport have asked the municipality of Puerto Plata several times to repair the Tourist route. But the municipality says it is the responsibility of the provincial government. And you get it, the provincial government answers that Puerto Plata is responsible. So nothing happens. In desperation, the drivers of public transport have decided to fill the potholes themselves. In recent days in several locations of the tourist route drivers of public transport have been working with shovels, picks, wheelbarrows with sand and bricks to fill up the potholes in the route.[/h]
[h=5]Thanks to the efforts of these drivers the 'Carretera Tur?stica', is passable again for traffic.[/h]
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
On the 6th of this month I started down from SOsua towards Tubugua and the police asked me if I was going all the way to Santiago, and when I said just to Tubagua they waved me thru. I assumed then that there was a new washout somewhere close to Santiago.
Der Fish

I went through on the 9th, all the way from Santiago. No questions asked, no evidence of a major washout. A little rough and bumpy in some places, but definitely passable.
 

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
16,772
429
0
Santiago
I travel this road on average 3 times a week. While it's great some locals were filling in the potholes it was with dirt only so it won't last. The road is passable but bumby.
 

dom

New member
Jun 1, 2011
270
0
0
ken u must have been drunk, as i went on the road as well, on a toyota landcruiser and we took a beating, in 15 years its the worsth i have seen it, why paint something different then it is ?

afraid someone may actually improve something ??
 

cleverlemming

New member
Jul 14, 2012
150
0
0
What about the enterprising locals who hold strings across that road and demand tolls? Shouldn't they donate a share to road maintenance?
 

VJS

Bronze
Sep 19, 2010
846
0
36
I took that road a few weeks ago last time and it was in the worst state I remember. It's off my list now for the time being.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
ken u must have been drunk, as i went on the road as well, on a toyota landcruiser and we took a beating, in 15 years its the worsth i have seen it, why paint something different then it is ?

afraid someone may actually improve something ??

The worst you've seen it in 15 years?

When did you go? If you had been with me on the 9th, you wouldn't say that. Not unless you have never been on the road when it was really bad.

When I went, there were places where there was dirt and gravel rather than black top, and they were somewhat bumpy, as happens, when cars pass over these sections. But slowing down was all that was necessary.

There were long stretches of blacktop between many of these patched sections. And some of the patched sections were longer than others. The locals are going to have to keep repairing it because their "fix" is certainly not permanent.

I can't speak of the condition of the road before or after I traveled it.

I am "painting it" as it was when I traveled it. If you don't put words in my mouth, I won't put them in yours. My experience was the same as that of Chip, who, if you note his post, travels the road 3 times a week.

Feel free to describe it as you find it. I am doing the same.

I was in a taxi. When we got to the place where some locals had a string, the driver just kept going. Those holding the string either had to drop it, lose it, or get dragged along. The driver really didn't care.
 

Expat13

Silver
Jun 7, 2008
3,255
50
48
Another example of the improved DR infrastructure. Why earmark funds to fix potholes when it can go towards chasing 'Johns'
 
May 12, 2005
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Again, if people are going to post about the condition of the road, please for the love of God, take a foto or 2 and post them. It would be a big help in letting the folks decide for themselves if the road is driveable.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
Again, if people are going to post about the condition of the road, please for the love of God, take a foto or 2 and post them. It would be a big help in letting the folks decide for themselves if the road is driveable.

A picture or two of the road when I traveled on it wouldn't tell you a thing. The road was mostly blacktop, but there were parts where there was no blacktop and the locals had filled those places with dirt and gravel. They were bumpy and you were wise to slow down when passing over them. The road was passable.

That was on May 9, and it is what Chip, who travels the road 3 times a week is reporting.

A day or two of hard rain and the condition may be very different.

Meantime, if you want a completely smooth road, no need to keep a lookout ahead, and no need to slow down for the rough patches, don't take that road.
 

Jumbo

Bronze
Jul 8, 2005
1,503
94
48
Usually not a toll demand. Most of the time it is to pay the funeral cost of a local. You will see it in Jamao alot.

But, sometimes the locals actually do buy concrete to fill the holes and donate the labor. Will 50 pesos kill you? And if it is a scam it helps the local comado sell more beer.
 

monfongo

Bronze
Feb 10, 2005
1,202
145
63
made the trip twice this wknd. pop to Pedro Garcia,and The road is as bad as I have seen it, I drive a Toyota Hilux Surf thats built for rugged terrain, wouldn't think of doing it in a regular car.