Traffic in Santo Domingo diminished greatly after the government announced it would be closing several principal avenues on occasion of the II Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Summit of Heads of State and Government. The initial announcement gave the impression the avenues would be closed for the duration of the event, but this was quickly clarified. The avenues would be closed off to vehicular and foot traffic for half an hour prior and after each activity in preparation for the II Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific Summit of Heads of State and Government that opens tomorrow at 10 am in Santo Domingo. The summit is scheduled for 25-26 November, but the measure is in effect starting Wednesday, 24 November and through Sunday, 27 November. And almost 700 traffic cops have been given orders to reduce bottlenecks on side streets and alternative streets. The Ministry of Education ordered public and private schools to close. While the order did not restrict university classes, the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo announced it was closing on Thursday and Friday. The streets will be closed off both for security reasons and to expedite the transporting of the visiting heads of state and government and their delegations as well as the many other high-ranking government and international organization officers that will be traveling to and within Santo Domingo. Most of the visiting delegations are arriving today and tomorrow. The avenues and streets that are affected are: 1. Bulevar del Faro, from Av. Las Americas through Av. España. 2. Av. España, from Bulevar del Faro through Av. 25 de Febrero. 3. Mella Bridge from the bridge over Av. 25 de Febrero through Av. México/José Martí intersection. 4. Juan Parra Alba street, from Av. Mexico through Av. del Puerto. 5. Av. del Puerto and the Malecón, from Juan Parra Alba St. through Av. Winston Churchill. 6. Av. Máximo Gómez, from Malecón to Av. 27 de Febrero. 7. Av. 27 de Febrero, from Máximo Gómez to Av. Isabel Aguiar. 8. Av. Luperón, from the entrance to El Siglo newspaper through Av. Anacaona. 9. Av. Abraham Lincoln, from Av. George Washington through Av. 27 de Febrero.
