Transporters serving the east of the country, taxi drivers, bus drivers, business people and dwellers in the Boca Chica area are urging EdeEste power distributor to put the lighting back on the stretch of the highway in the environs of Las Americas International Airport and the city of Santo Domingo. The lack of lighting has contributed to an increase in fatal traffic accidents, assaults and theft of electricity and telecom cabling.
“From kilometer 29 until reaching the Juan Carlos Bridge, there is not a single power line with a light bulb, a situation that is being exploited by criminals to commit their misdeeds,” said community residents Bienvenido Perez, Claudio Ventura, Rigoerto Payano and Sandra Agramonte told El Nacional.
“For us, it is unusual that given the Las Americas Expressway is the main route for tourists going to and from the east of the country, that this stretch of highway does not have an adequate lighting system that allows the safe movement of vehicles and protection of its occupants,” the claimants said. Residents say that if a lighting solution is not sought for the Las Américas highway, municipalities of Andrés, Boca Chica, La Caleta and La Ureña, are proposed in the coming days, the affected communities may choose to block the road to call the problem to the attention of President Danilo Medina.
Community leaders say on the Las Americas Expressway so far this 2018 there have been 63 traffic accidents, where 29 persons have died and many others have been injured. They understand many of these accidents could be avoided with better lighting.
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El Nacional
1 November 2018
