The Jacobo Majluta avenue to the north of the city of Santo Domingo is the most expensive ever built in the DR. Construction began in 1990 under the Joaquin Balaguer administration. The avenue was inaugurated in 1997, a year into the Fernandez administration. Its cost to the taxpayer at that point was RD$300 million. Two months after its inauguration, the highway was already suffering from structural problems. The Fernandez government invested an additional RD$149 million in repairs in 1999.
By the start of the Hipolito Mejia government, the essential thoroughfare was in even worse condition. Mejia announced a repair budget of RD$419 million, which turned into RD$550 million. Despite the repairs, the highway was still one big pothole. Now, the Fernandez government is at it again, and selected contractor Marcos Jorge promises a permanent repair at a cost of RD$630 million.
Thus, the 9.6 kilometer avenue has cost taxpayers no less than RD$1.73 billion, including RD$1.43 billion in repairs, or RD$180 million per kilometer.