The Ministry of Public Works has announced a plan to do away with the many crossings along the Duarte and 6th of November highways. These improvised crossings are some of the deadliest places along these busy roads. On just 30 kilometers of the “6th of November” highway that leads to San Cristobal, there are more than 20 unofficial crossings created by different commercial establishments in order to give motorists access to their places of business. Hoy newspaper reports that Deputy Public Works Minister for Highways, Mayobanex Escoto told them that the highway would undergo extensive remodeling in order to get rid of the crossings. He called the crossings “the main cause of accidents as well as damaging the drainage system. Last week’s rains were a case in point, with the rainwater flooding the highway because of the improvised crossings that block the drain openings.
Along the Duarte highway to Santiago, there are at least ten such crossings, created to allow vehicles to turn and go back the other way.