The complexity of the ongoing expansion project at kilometer 9 of the Duarte Highway has delivered major challenges, according to Roberto Herrera Polanco, Vice Minister of Supervision and Oversight at the Ministry of Public Works (MOPC). Herrera Polanco spoke up in defense of the many postponements of the roadworks. The Ministry of Public Works has on several occasions announced completion dates, but the work continues to advance at a very slow pace.
Herrera Polanco defended the government’s efforts, stating that the complexity of the project, combined with adverse weather conditions, has contributed to the many construction delays. He argued that previous administrations had avoided undertaking such a significant undertaking due to its scale and the numerous obstacles involved.
“This transformation of the Duarte Highway was a long-overdue project that governments have neglected for decades,” said Herrera Polanco. “We are finally addressing the issue.”
The vice minister explained that the project involves more than simply repaving the road. It includes constructing bridges, creating turnarounds, reconstructing entire sections, and modernizing traffic flow at entry and exit points to Santo Domingo and Santiago. Additionally, the MOPC has had to negotiate with hundreds of vendors and transportation operators who had established themselves along the highway’s margins for decades. The negotiations have been slow in accomplishing the goals and transportation operators continue to hold on to property they unilaterally took over.
Herrera Polanco noted that the scale of the Duarte Highway reconstruction is unprecedented in the country’s history and that similar projects in other nations have taken up to 20 years to complete.
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Diario Libre
DR1 News
8 January 2025