Santo Domingo.- One day after the inauguration of the new Plaza de la Bandera tunnel, drivers and passengers consulted by De Último Minuto stated that this Monday, traffic in the Pintura area and its surroundings felt more fluid than in previous days. However, others believe it is still too early to claim that the project will definitively resolve traffic congestion at that important point in Greater Santo Domingo.
During a tour of the site, several citizens stated that the movement was faster during the early morning hours.
“Today felt less congested. I was able to cross much faster than other Mondays,” expressed a driver who uses 27 de Febrero Avenue daily to get to work.
Another citizen commented:
“You can tell the difference. Before, one could spend quite a long time on this stretch, and today the traffic was lighter.”
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However, not everyone shares the same optimism. Some understand that the true impact of the infrastructure will only be measurable once several days of operation have passed.
“We have to give it time. Today was the first Monday and many people are still learning how the tunnel works. In a few weeks we will know if it really solved the problem,” stated Julio Montilla, a public transport driver.
Francisco Gómez, another driver, pointed out that factors such as the start of the school year or the usual increase in traffic flow could offer a more accurate assessment.
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“It is a good project, but we have to wait until traffic returns to its normal level to see if it truly eliminates the traffic jams”.
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President Luis Abinader inaugurated the tunnel this Sunday, as part of the road transformation project at Plaza de la Bandera and Isabel Aguiar, an intervention that seeks to streamline traffic between Gregorio Luperón Avenue, 27 de Febrero Avenue, and the 6 de Noviembre Highway. The work is part of one of the main infrastructure projects executed in Greater Santo Domingo.
Although initial user impressions are mostly positive, it will be the traffic behavior over the coming weeks that will determine whether the new tunnel meets expectations for sustainably reducing congestion at one of the capital’s busiest points.
