Architect Erick Dorrejo writes in El Caribe op-ed page today about the covert cost of the overpasses transport solution implemented during the past Fernandez administration in Santo Domingo. The construction of the overpasses over Av. 27 de Febrero and Av. John F. Kennedy are mentioned as one of the successes of the Fernandez government, and of its then Public Works Minister Diandino Pena, today appointed metro minister. Dorrejo points out that it is true that the overpasses contributed to improve flow traffic by providing an expressway for east-west traffic. But he says that at the same time it turned the avenues into unlivable areas, where environmental contamination was increased, ghetto creation was reinforced, levels of safety were reduced, the visuals of the city were impaired, shops in the area lots their customers, and there was an overall decline in the quality of life of the poor. Note that motoconchos and pedestrians are not allowed on the expressways. “To conclude, when transforming public spaces, lots of thought should be given so that the objective be to bring vitality to the city and improve the standard of living of its inhabitants,” he writes.