Cangrejo bridge closed due to major structural failure.

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drstock

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I drove along the bridge diversion yesterday with a friend who hadn't used it since just after the bridge broke. His verdict: with the amount of work that has been done to make the diversion usable, they could have built five new bridges!
 

CristoRey

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I drove along the bridge diversion yesterday with a friend who hadn't used it since just after the bridge broke. His verdict: with the amount of work that has been done to make the diversion usable, they could have built five new bridges!
By now you and I could have rebuilt this bridge by ourselves.
 
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Gadfly

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jd426

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This portion of philly hwy opened today, less than 2 weeks after it collapsed. Certain countries could rebuild the Cangrejo bridge in a few days. C’mon people let’s get movin
I think I saw a video of a Company working 24 hours a day, and they show you the whole thing Sped up.,. and in like 3 days they rebuilt an Overpass .. just amazing coordination and expertise .. so yeagh, the companies are out there ..
I will be driving over that overpass in a couple days , my favotire BBQ place is just north of there .




Edit
FOUND the Video .... was right on u tube
they are a Dutch Company

 

XQT

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It is clearly evident that the Dominican government including Abinader,
Does NOT CARE about their citizens and the collapsed bridge on the only major highway connecting
North Coast communities which also is serving the remaining few tourists arriving.

It is a testament of SHAME for the Dominican Government, demonstrating incompetence and an absence of caring for their citizens,
Which is their elected duty.
April 26 2022 to June 2023 and ongoing.
 

XQT

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Couple this from increased lights,

"If the Dominican Republic continues its current tourism pace, the destination could reach 8 million annual visitors this year, which would be a new record — and close to the country’s long-stated goal of topping 10 million annual visitors."

With the realities on the North Coast.
Obviously PUJ is the focus.
On the North coast No Bridge, in many communities no water or garbage collection and unreliable electricity.

Tourists must stay in an AI, or a complex with own water supply and generator.
Getting off the reservation you will see the real life.
 
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jd426

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In WW2 they could build a temporary bridge many times wider then the congrejo bridge that could support tanks and heavy trucks in a couple days.
Are you referring to what were called " Underwater" Bridges ... not joking , they were fascinating, could not be detected from Air so easily as water flowed over them .. Ie Concrete , built below water level . not sure how they did it , but very very solid and did not take a long time . I imagine the river would have to be widened quite a bit though ( as you mentioned .. so the volume of water is not more than several Inches High so that Large trucks and Tanks as you say could easily cross like crossing a rain Puddle . not sure that would work in this case, unless they used a different stretch of the River .
 

Ecoman1949

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In WW2 they could build a temporary bridge many times wider than the congrejo bridge that could support tanks and heavy trucks in a couple days.
Canadian Military Engineers could put a Bailey Bridge across there in two days minimum. A temporary traffic bridge capable of handling cars and light trucks. Complete with its own traffic control system. US, UK, and Canadian militaries use these all the time for military and disaster operations. Saw this happen in one of our communities isolated by a washed out bridge during a hurricane a few years ago. Maybe the President could make a request through the Canadian or US Consulates. 🤣
 

Ecoman1949

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It is clearly evident that the Dominican government including Abinader,
Does NOT CARE about their citizens and the collapsed bridge on the only major highway connecting
North Coast communities which also is serving the remaining few tourists arriving.

It is a testament of SHAME for the Dominican Government, demonstrating incompetence and an absence of caring for their citizens,
Which is their elected duty.
April 26 2022 to June 2023 and ongoing.
Insightful and honest post, and I totally agree. Gregorio Luperon airport airstrip has been expanded to accommodate bigger aircraft loaded with more tourists and Playa Dorada is buzzing with new condo and resort construction activity. The fall and winter tourist seasons are not that far away. Pundits on this forum are predicting a new bridge won’t be in place for the upcoming tourist season or another year at least. The out of sight and out of mind political approach should make for an interesting tourist season this winter on the North coast.
 

Ecoman1949

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Couple this from increased lights,

"If the Dominican Republic continues its current tourism pace, the destination could reach 8 million annual visitors this year, which would be a new record — and close to the country’s long-stated goal of topping 10 million annual visitors."

With the realities on the North Coast.
Obviously PUJ is the focus.
On the North coast No Bridge, in many communities no water or garbage collection and unreliable electricity.

Tourists must stay in an AI, or a complex with own water supply and generator.
Getting off the reservation you will see the real life.
One tourist bus ride from the airport through the bypass to Playa Dorada will give them a good view of real DR life before they set foot on the resort. The potential for negative tourism publicity is very high. I know people who loved the resort in Luperon but wouldn’t return because of the narrow dangerous drive from Imbert to Luperon. The road was eventually improved but the resort was long gone.
 
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XQT

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One tourist bus ride from the airport through the bypass to Playa Dorada will give them a good view of real DR life before they set foot on the resort. The potential for negative tourism publicity is very high. I know people who loved the resort in Luperon but wouldn’t return because of the narrow dangerous drive from Imbert to Luperon. The road was eventually improved but the resort was long gone.
Playa Dorada has some nice mid range AI's and golf course.
Many Canadians and EU tourists used to go there.
There also are very nice condo developments and detached houses on Playa Dorada and between there and Puerto Plata.

Unfortunately WestJet has eliminated Summer flights, they had great service all year around.
Many of the snow birds and property owners used this service.
WestJest flights won't start up to POP till November.
There are some Sunwing and Transit flights available.
No-one wants to fly to PUJ have a $300 taxi and a 4.5 hr drive.

EU tourism has declined.
The only ones holding up arrivals and service are the US.

Cabarete used to draw tourists and Sosua.
There is a serious decline, even some laude great tourism development and high cost real estate.
Any discerning investor will look at ROI and value for their money, namely infrastructure and culture outside of their property.
Security, hospitals, medical service.

Dominican communities from the middle class on down have been abandoned.
That's the majority of people.
Only high levels of income will shield people to build their own infrastructure.

Go to any barrio along the North Coast POP, Montellano, Sosua, Cabarete, La Cienega, Sabanata and onward.
Just drive or walk and have a look.
No reliable electricity, water, garbage collection in many areas.
Sprawling illegal Haitian settlements.

So far no bridge construction for over a year should be a major embarrassment to gob.do and mitur.gob.do
Evidently it is not, not to mention negation of responsibility of governments of their duty to their own citizens and communities.
 

Ecoman1949

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Playa Dorada has some nice mid range AI's and golf course.
Many Canadians and EU tourists used to go there.
There also are very nice condo developments and detached houses on Playa Dorada and between there and Puerto Plata.

Unfortunately WestJet has eliminated Summer flights, they had great service all year around.
Many of the snow birds and property owners used this service.
WestJest flights won't start up to POP till November.
There are some Sunwing and Transit flights available.
No-one wants to fly to PUJ have a $300 taxi and a 4.5 hr drive.

EU tourism has declined.
The only ones holding up arrivals and service are the US.

Cabarete used to draw tourists and Sosua.
There is a serious decline, even some laude great tourism development and high cost real estate.
Any discerning investor will look at ROI and value for their money, namely infrastructure and culture outside of their property.
Security, hospitals, medical service.

Dominican communities from the middle class on down have been abandoned.
That's the majority of people.
Only high levels of income will shield people to build their own infrastructure.

Go to any barrio along the North Coast POP, Montellano, Sosua, Cabarete, La Cienega, Sabanata and onward.
Just drive or walk and have a look.
No reliable electricity, water, garbage collection in many areas.
Sprawling illegal Haitian settlements.

So far no bridge construction for over a year should be a major embarrassment to gob.do and mitur.gob.do
Evidently it is not, not to mention negation of responsibility of governments of their duty to their own citizens and communities.
When I started going to the DR 17 years ago, Playa Dorada was my base for a period of time. I rented cars at the local Budget office next to the mall. For many winters, I drove the roads from Rio San Juan to La Isabella exploring beaches, meeting people, staying in the communities, and enjoying the DR climate. I also witnessed many changes in the Playa Dorada area.

Post Covid, It was easy to see the signs of decline on the North coast due to government neglect. I was pressured by a few of my expat friends to purchase property and move there full time. I’m glad I didn’t and many of the reasons I chose not to are based on information from posters on DR1.

The Congrejo bridge debacle is just one more glaring symptom of declining infrastructure and basic services, and blatant government neglect. There were signs the bridge was becoming structurally unsound long before it collapsed The previous and current administration turned a blind eye to the warnings and it resulted in chaos. Seems like they would rather fight fires than plan long term.
 

bob saunders

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Insightful and honest post, and I totally agree. Gregorio Luperon airport airstrip has been expanded to accommodate bigger aircraft loaded with more tourists and Playa Dorada is buzzing with new condo and resort construction activity. The fall and winter tourist seasons are not that far away. Pundits on this forum are predicting a new bridge won’t be in place for the upcoming tourist season or another year at least. The out of sight and out of mind political approach should make for an interesting tourist season this winter on the North coast.
Just took the detour. It isnt that big a deal. Adds sometime to the trip but really not that bad. A lot of whining going on.
 
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XQT

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That the collapsed Cangrejo bridge spanning the Rio Camú is directly linked to tourism is clear.
As well as the fact that the bridge supports communities along the North Coast.

It is time for Abinader and his government to wake up.
They are not operating unseen in obscurity.
In fact Abinader is watched and judged by the international community.
In the tourism regard predominantly by the USA, EU and CAN.

Perviously I have seen Abinader as the best president in recent times, a man for his time.
Yet he has reverted to incompetence seen by pervious administrations.

Tourism is a source of major renewable income for the DR.
There are billions of USD to be made from affluent tourists and investors.
Europeans, Canadians and Americans have the high end disposable income to invest and spend.
Tourism operators and airlines closely watch sustainability and income through volume.
A large part of the AI industry in Punta Cana is Spanish.

On the North Coast many EU, CAN and US citizens previously invested in real estate and long stay tourism.
Spending hundreds of millions.
The North Coast has a lot to offer.
Tourism that invests money on long stays, start up businesses and retirement.

The high end wants infrastructure and security, value for money.

The Montellano bridge over the Rio Camú was efficiently re-build.
How is it possible that the bridge on the only highway is nonexistent after more than a year?
 
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