Small traders on Romulo Betancourt Avenue in Santo Domingo are at breaking point, because their sales have fallen by up to 80% as a result of roadwork over the last three months by the Marvar, CxA construction firm. The work is being done for the Santo Domingo Water and Sewer Corporation (CAASD) along a large stretch of the avenue so that larger diameter pipes can be laid that will guarantee a supply of drinking water in the area. The lack of access has translated into empty businesses. And no wonder. For example, Jose Santana, who runs the Power Audio Auto Adornos store, complains that he has had to use his savings because they are not making enough sales to cover their monthly overheads. “Sales are at zero. The flow of customers is nearly zero,” he said.
He claims that there have been at least six traffic accidents and says that this is due to poor signage on the street. On Monday 1 April, traffic was reestablished at the intersections of Bolivar and Abraham Lincoln avenues and Betancourt at Winston Churchill avenues. Nonetheless there are still open ditches almost in the middle of these intersections, which according to CAASD engineer Milano Torres, are still in place because they had to finish some jobs before they could fill the ditches. In the case of the intersection at Bolivar and Lincoln avenues, he said that they have to place the manholes and connect with other pipes, which will take about two weeks.