During the official presentation of the República de Colombia Avenue road restructuring project, government officials firmly reiterated that works for the road solution will not be carried out inside the National Botanical Gardens. Space of the outside sidewalks would be used and two lanes would be added to the República de Colombia Avenue along with underpasses and trenches.
The Road and Environmental Solution of the Av. República de Colombia will span seven kilometers from Km 13 of the Duarte Highway to the Los Próceres Avenue.
Present for the presentation on Wednesday, 23 July 2025 at the Botanical Gardens were Minister of the Presidency Jose Ignacio Paliza, Minister of Public Works Eduardo Estrella, Vice Minister for Infrastructure of the Ministry of Public Works Elías Zapata and Minister of Environment Paíno Henríquez.
The government officials insisted that “the Botanical Garden will not be touched” as stated by the Minister of Public Works, Eduardo Estrella, and the Minister of the Presidency Jose Ignacio Paliza during the presentation. President Luis Abinader had said the same in his 19 July 2025 weekly press conference. They are referring to the protective fence and internal grounds.
The Av. República de Colombia road project calls for government investment of around RD$10 billion. The funds will come as a result of the renegotiation of the Vinci Airports contract. Vinci is making advance payments. The road solution seeks to accommodate traffic of more than 35,000 vehicles daily that commute on the avenue to the north of the National District. The roadwork would be completed in 24 months and would have an impact on the quality of life of 1.4 million Dominicans.
The government explained the project includes the expansion of the road at its intersection with Av. Monumental, the elimination of high-conflict crossings, the construction of strategic U-turns, and a grade-separated interchange at the intersection with Av. Los Próceres. Additionally, at the intersection with Jacobo Majluta and its extension, a major road interchange will be built, consisting of a bridge over the stream, underpasses, and trenches that will pass through the Cuba barrio and connect with Av. República de Colombia.
The project also calls for the recovery of more than 24,000 square meters of green space, particularly in an area currently occupied by a polluted ravine and rudimentary housing with high levels of unsanitary conditions. The residents will need to be relocated.
An ecological party will be built as a natural extension of the Botanical Garden. The new area will have ecological trails, low impact bicycling paths, open air gym, areas for resting and contemplation, recycling areas, surveillance cameras and a fence to protect the space and guarantee security.
The Ministry of Public Works gave the following highlights of the infrastructure plan:
• Expansion and improvement of the intersection at República de Colombia and Avenida Monumental.
• Over 20 intersections along República de Colombia will be closed, and new return loops will be added to streamline traffic.
• A major interchange at Jacobo Majluta and República de Colombia will be built, eliminating traffic lights at that junction.
• Jacobo Majluta Avenue will be expanded, with a new 1-kilometer road section including trenches and a bridge over the Arroyo Hondo stream to connect with the República de Colombia Avenue.
•Underpasses will be constructed at the Pérez Ricart and Los Próceres intersections, including a trench connecting Av. República de Colombia with Av. Los Próceres to the south.
The Ministry of Public Works explained that while early drafts of the project considered alternatives that could have affected the garden, the final design ensures its preservation. The contractors have committed to carrying out the project within the existing road space, safeguarding one of Santo Domingo’s most vital green areas.
These reassurances were intended to allay public fears. Authorities explained that although earlier designs considered options that would have impacted a small portion of the garden, the final plan avoids this. Two lanes will be added to the existing road footprint, without encroaching on the garden’s property. Yet, palm trees on the outside will be removed to make room for the lanes.
The government framed the project as a “road-environmental solution” developed with a strong commitment to ecological preservation. Officials highlighted that all changes aim to improve traffic flow in the area while protecting the capital’s most important green space.
Engineer Juan José Núñez Rizek (Constructora Rizek), representing the contracting consortium, Consorcio GSDRD Vial, detailed the government’s proposal on Wednesday, 23 July 2025, emphasizing innovative design to optimize vehicular flow.
According to Núñez Rizek, the two existing lanes adjacent to the Botanical Garden will be expanded to three by utilizing ample space outside the perimeter fence, while allowing for the preservation of the current sidewalk. On the opposite side of the avenue, additional space will be created in front of properties to complete the redesigned thoroughfare.
The project, dubbed “Solución Vial Ambiental” (Environmental Road Solution), aims to enhance vehicle circulation without disrupting the Botanical Garden’s ecological balance or its invaluable heritage.
Key to the plan is the closure of several existing intersections along Avenida República de Colombia. These will be replaced with operational returns designed to significantly alleviate traffic bottlenecks.
Furthermore, the notoriously congested roundabout near Intec University is set for a major improvement. Núñez Rizek announced that a “bottleneck” implementation further up the road will streamline access, making navigation around the university much smoother.
He explained that a central feature of the project involves the construction of a trench and an underpass to manage primary traffic flows. “The idea is that the two main flows that have been studied – the one coming from Colombia and Jacobo Majluta and heading towards Los Próceres, meaning the Central Polygon – will be express with the construction of a trench,” Núñez Rizek explained. He added that all these solutions will be implemented below the roundabout, where the underpass will manage the main traffic movements.
The government stressed that the comprehensive plan seeks to modernize the area’s infrastructure, promising a more efficient and environmentally conscious traffic system for Santo Domingo.
Environmentalists and other specialists have yet to issue their opinion on the road project presented by the Ministry of Public Works.
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