Minister of Public Works Gonzalo Castillo says that the Ministry is repairing the Navarrete-Puerto Plata road and works will be completed by the end of the year. He said that for next year a tender would be held for the expansion of the two-lane highway to four lanes. The minister added that the design of the highway, budget and environmental impact assessment and ground studies are currently underway. He said the government realizes that a land connection from Santiago to Puerto Plata is key to tourism development in Puerto Plata, as reported in Diario Libre.