President Leonel Fernandez was East yesterday for the symbolic start of construction of the Coral Highway, 70 kilometers four-lane expressway that will cut driving time to Punta Cana by half an hour or more. The La Romana-Higuey-Veron and Punta Cana highway calls for a US$255 million investment. A central lane will be left in place in order to be able to expand the highway to six lanes in the future. The government chose Moya Supervisiones y Construcciones and Hormigones Moya for the construction.
President Fernandez also participated in the symbolic start of construction of the Boulevard Punta Cana- Uvero Alto. Minister of Public Works said that the boulevard would be 43.5 kilometers long and the government expects it to be completed in 18 months. The highway will provide a fast south-north ground link, missing in the area. Hotel ventures in the area are participating in the financing of the project that is estimated to cost US$40 million, as reported in Hoy.
Also attending the event were Tourism Minister Felix Jimenez, Public Works Minister Freddy Perez, director of tourism projects in the Bavaro-Punta Cana area, Ernesto Veloz, Punta Cana Group president Frank Rainieri, designer Oscar de la Renta, Spanish singer Julio Iglesias and Spanish investor Abel Matutes.