Truckers from the National Federation of Dominican Transportation (Fenatrado) said truckers would continue to take the detour around the tollbooths on the Santo Domingo Beltway between the Autopista Duarte and the 6 November Highway. Ricardo de los Santos, the Fenatrado president, criticized as too expensive the tolls truckers have to pay on the beltway. He criticized the “backward thinking” of the government. De los Santos said: “In the big cities around the world, beltways are built to relieve traffic in busy city centers. But here they are built to raise money for the government. We have asked the Ministry of Public Works to review and lower the cost of the tolls on these roads. Regrettably accidents are going to continue happening,” he said. He told reporters Fenatrado truckers would continue to use the detours.
A trucker recently killed two students when passing through a small town when taking the detour. Diario Libre published the photo of the detour that is 7.5 kms long, while the beltway distance is only 3.5 km long and takes 17 minutes less than going by way of the detour. The use of the beltway costs the trucks RD$358.
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Diario Libre
25 September 2018
