Puerto Plata.- The president Luis Abinader inaugurated this Saturday the Villa Elisa-Punta Rucia-La Ensenada highway, a 23.2-kilometer-long work that ends a wait of more than four decades and will directly impact the tourism, commercial, agricultural and social development of the north coast.
The road, with an average width of 9.40 meters, connects Puerto Plata with Montecristi and improves access to the surrounding communities, as well as to the natural attractions and coastal areas of Punta Rucia and La Ensenada. Its construction represented an investment of RD$1,224 million executed through the Ministry of Public Works and Communications.
During the event, Minister Eduardo Estrella highlighted that this infrastructure “marks a before and after” in regional connectivity, as it strengthens agricultural and livestock production, boosts trade, and opens a new horizon for tourism. He specified that along with this highway, the Government is building and rehabilitating other road projects in the area with an investment that exceeds RD$1500 million.
Among those works, he mentioned the Santiago Rodríguez-Martín García-Guayubín highway; the Tillo Palma-Ramadero and Laguna Verde-Palo Verde sections; and the rehabilitation of the Estrecho Barrancón-La Isabela Histórica road, 17 kilometers long. In addition, progress is being made on the Navarrete bypass and on studies to extend the road to Esperanza, improving the connection with Santiago Rodríguez, Valverde, Dajabón and Montecristi.
The inaugurated road includes the construction of a tourist lodge and a panoramic viewpoint in the Agua de La Palma area, from where the beauty of the coast can be appreciated. It also includes complementary works such as sidewalks, curbs, gutters, a box culvert, sewer crossings, and the stabilization of slopes with geogrid.
The project was executed by the company Asfalcon, which worked on the placement of fill, subbase, base, hot asphalt concrete and horizontal and vertical signage.
The inauguration was celebrated by the residents of the area, who had waited for more than 40 years for its materialization. The City Council of Villa Isabela recognized President Abinader for the importance of this work for the tourist and economic development of the municipality.
Similarly, the Estero Hondo District Board granted him recognition on behalf of the community, calling the road a response to the clamor of half a century of waiting.
