Minister of Public Works Deligne Ascencion announced the opening on Monday, 16 September 2024 of a new 14 lane, toll plaza at Km 27 of the Duarte Highway. This is the largest in the country. The Duarte Highway connects the south with the north and is regarded as the country’s most important road.
Apparently, at first, only eight of the lanes will be open as work continues on the remaining lanes and the tollbooths.
Many people question why this new and very expensive plaza was necessary, and the answer can be traced to the Dominican way of skirting difficulties. Apparently, studies showed that the current toll plaza to the east of the town of Pedro Brand was receiving less and less money because drivers had discovered that by detouring through the streets and byways of Pedro Brand, they could circumvent paying tolls. As a result the government has spent RD$1.2 billion on the new and better toll plaza at a location that is nearly impossible to avoid.
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Listin Diario
Listin Diario
16 September 2024