The Ministry of Public Works officially began the construction of the Autovía del Este, a 56-kilometer project expected to cost over RD$679 million. Once completed, the highway will shorten the time it takes to travel between Santo Domingo and La Romana from two hours to 40 minutes. The highway should be completed by August 1999. It will have five stretches of four lanes of 3.65 meters each, plus an area of 10 meters for future expansion. The first stretch will begin at the rotunda of Boca Chica and will run 14 kilometers providing access to the hotels in that area. Public Works Minister Diandino Peña formally broke ground for the work that will be carried out by the engineering contractors of Consorcio Chaljub-Remix, Cosntructora J. Fortuna, Consorcio Corporación de Asfalto, Constructora Rizek, Elsamex-Mapek y Obras y Tecnologías S. A.
