The Ministry of Public Works announced a new tender for the Baní Bypass. The contractor, Ecocisa was awarded the work three years ago, but the construction is practically at a standstill. The government says a new tender establishes RD$3 billion to finish the road. The government says that the company was affected by cost increases.
The Baní Bypass is the missing link for the flow of traffic from Greater Santo Domingo to the southwest, on to Barahona and Pedernales, for instance at the border with Haiti. There already is a San Cristóbal bypass and a Azua Bypass. Yet, right now, west traffic has to pass through the center of Baní. The Baní bypass once completed should reduce travel time by at least half an hour.
The road is especially needed now that the Abinader administration is investing billions to develop Pedernales as the country’s newest tourism destination.
The Baní Bypass connects from the Baní-San Cristóbal highway, near the Paya market area, Ojo de Agua and then exits west at Galión. The road will be two lanes, one in each direction. Seventeen bridges need to be built.
The Azua Bypass has two lanes, one in each direction, and circumvents Azua along a 14 km extension. Once the Azua Bypass opened during the present Abinader administration, driving time west to Barahona dropped by around half an hour.
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Diario Libre
24 July 2023