Weekend flooding of river in Montellano; road closed

vermontmark

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Aug 23, 2022
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Puerto Plata
On Saturday we were returning from east end of island to the PP area, along the coast. Because of the heavy rains the detour road in Montellano was closed due to high water. We eventually decided to take the long way around (over the mountain to Santiago, and back on the parallel mountain road), since the flooding was apparently bad. Does anyone have details of what exactly happened and road closure duration?
 

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
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On Saturday we were returning from east end of island to the PP area, along the coast. Because of the heavy rains the detour road in Montellano was closed due to high water. We eventually decided to take the long way around (over the mountain to Santiago, and back on the parallel mountain road), since the flooding was apparently bad. Does anyone have details of what exactly happened and road closure duration?
This should go to the Cangrejo Bridge thread
 

Auryn

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2012
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On Saturday we were returning from east end of island to the PP area, along the coast. Because of the heavy rains the detour road in Montellano was closed due to high water. We eventually decided to take the long way around (over the mountain to Santiago, and back on the parallel mountain road), since the flooding was apparently bad. Does anyone have details of what exactly happened and road closure duration?
The little bridge (that isn’t actually a bridge- as was clarified on the Cangrejo thread) got washed out/clogged. So the water was gushing over the top and took out the guard rails.
I was in Puerto Plata heading west at the time. I walked down and took a video around 5:00pm, shortly after it was impossible to cross. Lots of people were talking about going around through Santiago because it looked like the whole thing might give out. It was reopened shortly after 7 pm.

With no end in site for Cangrejo, I will not be travelling toward Puerto Plata during a heavy rainfall again. Unless it’s earlier in the day and the Santiago detour is more feasible for me.
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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Correct, Auryn, it is just a low spot in the bypass road that is flooding during the rains. Near a small stream that is overflowing.
 

cavok

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Jun 16, 2014
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Cabarete
If it's raining in Montellano like it is here in Cabarete right now, that detour will be closed again due to flooding.
 

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
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They have been working to upgrade the crossing for 3 days now - Let's see if they will solve the flooding problem.
The Magic 8 Ball says "Not Likely"
 

NanSanPedro

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Apr 12, 2019
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Boca Chica
yeshaiticanprogram.com
So if you're in Sosua and want to get points west, would you have to go thru Caberete --> Jamao -->Moca --> Santiago -->and then go north from Santiago? Is that the best way if the Montellano bypass doesn't work?
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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So is this the detour now?
detour.jpg
 

M4kintosh

Active member
May 23, 2023
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Santiago De Los Caballeros
So is this the detour now?
View attachment 7756
No, this is the current detour now.
The image you show @JD Jones was the first attemp to cross using the aqueduct road (which isn't paved at all)
It's all with signs around the road and in some occasions, road splits.
So if you're in Sosua and want to get points west, would you have to go thru Caberete --> Jamao -->Moca --> Santiago -->and then go north from Santiago? Is that the best way if the Montellano bypass doesn't work?
Yep. The "Moca Road" aka DR21 is the best option when floodings in Montellano-Cangrejo happen. Sadly it's still being expanded and hasn't been finished, but it's faster these days compared to crossing the temporary bypass via Cangrejo.