The Baní Bypass in Peravia province, constructed at a cost of RD$7.7 billion to link the south’s 10 provinces, is under intense scrutiny as experts warn that fundamental weaknesses in its design are directly contributing to a string of fatal accidents since its inauguration in August 2025.
A report in Diario Libre points to the risks for those using the shortcut to the southwest from the capital city and warns people should be aware to avoid becoming a victim.
While the 19.8-kilometer road was intended to modernize regional connectivity, Teodoro Tejada, former president of the Dominican Guild of Engineers, Architects, and Surveyors (CODIA), argues the project was flawed from its inception.
According to Tejada, who audited the engineering of the project, the primary issue is the road’s insufficient capacity. Despite being a major artery for the southern region, the bypass consists of only two lanes—one in each direction.
“It should never have been built with only two lanes,” Tejada stated. “Bypasses are designed to decongest urban traffic and must have greater capacity. This bypass is exclusionary.”
The narrow design creates a “bottleneck” effect where impatient drivers frequently ignore the double yellow lines to overtake slower vehicles, leading to high-speed head-on collisions.
The investigation highlights several physical hazards that compromise driver safety:
• Poor visibility: Vertical curves in the road layout obstruct the view of oncoming traffic, making standard maneuvers risky.
• Missing barriers: In some stretches exceeding 100 meters, no guardrails were installed, despite embankments dropping as high as eight meters.
• Illegal access points: Perhaps most concerningly, Diario Libre identified 14 illegal and unsafe crossings. Residents from neighboring communities have physically removed sections of the metal guardrails to create improvised entrances.
Tejada explains that these “makeshift” entries are a desperate response to a lack of planned access for locals. “When guardrails are removed and people enter the highway transversely, major accidents occur. They should have planned legal and safe access points,” he noted.
Speeding and enforcement
While the posted speed limit is 100 km/h, many drivers significantly exceed this threshold. The combination of high velocity and the “invisible wall” of the double yellow line has proven deadly; at least 11 people have died on this short stretch of road in less than seven months of operation.
Structural concerns and quality
Recent reports of cracks in the pavement sparked fears of structural failure, particularly on a 50-meter ramp following heavy rains from Storm Melissa. However, Tejada maintains these are not structural flaws but rather drainage issues exacerbated by unprecedented rainfall. He defended the construction quality of firms like Grupo Estrella, suggesting the issues stem from planning and environmental factors rather than poor materials.
Proposed solutions
To stem the tide of fatalities, the former CODIA president proposed several urgent interventions:
- Expansion: Widening the bypass to four lanes (two in each direction).
- Physical dividers: Installing “Jersey” barriers or safety walls to physically prevent illegal overtaking.
- Formal interchanges: Building official distributors or marginal roads for local communities.
- Increased policing: Boosting the presence of transit authorities to enforce speed limits.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
10 March 2026