Caretera Turistica, condition report, June 08

Rocky

Honorificabilitudinitatibus
Apr 4, 2002
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www.rockysbar.com
Never seen it this bad.
I've been using that road since it was built and have seen all the damage including a couple of times where it was temporarily impassible.
Although it is still passable right now, it's in the worst condition of all time.
From the Santiago side to Yasica, there pretty much isn't a 100 yard stretch without a pothole, and some of the potholes are more than enough to cause serious damage to any vehicle, except a tank.
They've been working on it for approx. a year now, shoring up the areas that have slid away, and I presumed that they would be catching up by now, but quite the contrary.
The road is falling apart faster than they are repairing it.
And now, for the really bad news....
It's June and the beginning of hurricane season, which brings heavy fast downfalls to those mountains, and that's what washes out the road.
It's going to get worse, before it gets better.
PS: We really should not recommend this route at night time, to any newbies or tourists.
 
Sep 19, 2005
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this road is called route 25 , correct?

it is the road that goes past close by Camp David in Santiago, right?

bob
 
Sep 19, 2005
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I took it a month ago......they had lots of places that had washed out with in the last year and were under construction ...

I know it was always REAL potholes and bumpy on the first 1/4 section on the puerto plata end.
It comes out either between Playa Dorado and the airport or the airport and sosua...right?

in that area where there are a lot of potsholes and the road is narrow, is where they put up military road blocks often...

well i better be careful how i phrase that...because I am just a tourist ...so i have seen the road block twice in five trips....

is that more DR1 politically correct?? ha ha ha


tourist bob
 
That must be the number.
It starts in Santiago, goes through Yasica and ends in Montellano in the sugar cane fields.
Been on it lately?
2 weeks ago it was a nightmare especially since i had to travel from Puerto Plata to Santiago in the dark and it was raining. I wouldnt advise it to anyone right now day or night especially in a small car because some of the pot holes are monsters.
 

Bob K

Silver
Aug 16, 2004
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Drove it last week in a torrential down pour. The road was like a river with swift running water 6-8 inches deep. This also hid the huge potholes. Thankfully I had the truck and not the car for that trip. Rocky is right it is in the worst shape I have seen it in over the past 4 years.
I believe last December the governtment said that the repairs were complete. Well may be December 2015 at the rate it is going.

Bob K
 

planner

.............. ?
Sep 23, 2002
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I tried to drive it the morning after that rain storm. Unfortunately it was too bad for my little car!
 

whirleybird

Silver
Feb 27, 2006
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May I respectfully suggest taking the road via Sabaneta to Moca if you are going to Santiago from POP, Sosua, Cabarete or similar... the road is steep in one direction but in good order (well, it was last time we went) but the views are breathtaking on a good day. Having said that we don't drive anywhere after dark unless it is absolutely essential.