President Leonel Fernández traveled to La Vega, in the center of the Dominican Republic, to formally inaugurate the expansion of the Autopista Duarte, the nation’s main thoroughfare. The 180 kilometer stretch from Santo Domingo to Santiago of the highway that continues on to Puerto Plata in the North Coast was expanded to four and six lanes in several areas. Bypasses were also constructed so that traffic does not necessarily have to pass through the cities. The expansion was initiated in late 1993 during the government of former President Joaquín Balaguer. Indeed, on the same day of the inauguration, President Leonel Fernández visited the nonagenarian statesmen for about an hour in the company of Minister of Public Works Diandino Peña, Miguel Cocco, director of the Customs Department and Danilo Medina, Secretary of the Presidency. The Listín Diario published a front page color photograph of President Balaguer posting a youthful full grin and standing besides President Leonel Fernández, who also was all smiles, during the later’s visit to the former statesmen. President Fernández is a frequent visitor to Dr. Balaguer. Dr. Balaguer endorsed Fernández over the candidate of his own party in the 1996 election. This endorsement catapulted Fernández to win the presidency. The 180-kilometer expansion demanded an investment of RD$7,000 million, up from the projected RD$1,500 million initial cost in 1993. The expansion is said to have a life span of 20 years. The speed limit of the highway has been increased to 100 kilometers per hour, up from 80 kilometers before the remodeling. Spokesmen for the campaign unit of the Partido Reformista Social Cristiano (PRSC) of Dr. Balaguer criticized the inauguration, saying that it was merely a "political show," as 20% of the highway is yet to be completed.
