2025News

President Abinader inaugurates key capital city roadwork to drastically cut commute times

Drive east along the 27 de Febrero Avenue to northern or western Santo Domingo to see the difference. Traffic is flowing.

The first phase of the 27 de Febrero – Isabel Aguiar Overpass was inaugurated by President Luis Abinader and Public Works Minister Eduardo Estrella on 8 October 2025. The roadwork is designed to slash travel times by up to 40% for over a million daily commuters between Santo Domingo west, south and southwestern provinces and the capital city.

The overpass is designed to international AASHTO 2018 standards and features an innovative million-gallon drainage system connected to the Guajimia ravine, designed to prevent chronic flooding in the area. It connects the South via the 6 de Noviembre Highway directly with the National District and will soon link up with the Luperon Avenue tunnel at the Plaza de la Bandera.

The new overpass is expected to generate significant savings in fuel and operating costs, boost labor productivity and reduce traffic accidents.

The work was carried out by Constructora JM and the technical supervision was by Tecnoamerica, both Dominican companies. The original design was carried out by Odebrecht engineers when Gonzalo Castillo (2016 was Minister of Public Works. But this was later changed when Deligne Ascencion was named Minister of Public Works during the Abinader administration to not affect the Plaza de la Bandera and reportedly reduce costs.

The nearly 500-meter-long structure was built at a cost of approximately RD$2 billion. The funds came from the advances Vinci Airports made for the extension of the Aerodom airport concession contract. This flow of funds allowed for expedited construction that began in April 2024.

President Abinader emphasized that the overpass is a component of an “integral plan” to overhaul mass transit in the capital.

The President announced that the infrastructure will be complemented by a new mass transit terminal in Santo Domingo West, to be built via a public-private partnership, which will also integrate the new cable car (Teleférico) system projected for completion by mid-2026.

“The combination of these works, along with the Santo Domingo Metro, will significantly improve mass transit and transportation in general for Santo Domingo West, the South, and even for people coming from the Cibao,” Abinader stated.

He also highlighted other related projects set for quick completion, including the Kilómetro 9 interchange, República de Colombia Avenue, and the final stretch of the Ecológica Avenue, which is slated to open next month, all aiming to decongest the capital’s entry points.

Public Works Minister Estrella also announced upcoming projects, including the construction of the trench at the Plaza de la Bandera and the tender of 53 bridges with support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in January 2026.

Listin Diario interviewed several commuters who confirmed the improvement in the flow of traffic.

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9 October 2025