December 11 2008

SEOPC inagurates Santo Domingo-Samaná highway

The government’s Ministry of Public Works and Communication inaugurated on Friday the highway Santo Domingo- Samaná with an investment of over 151 million dollars. Conceived in the first constitutional government of President Leonel Fernández Reyna, the Santo Domingo-Samaná highway was tendered under the Public International Competition No.06-98, resulting winners the Consorcio Autopista del Nordeste, C.xA., who met all the technical, legal and financial requirements established in the competition.

The route was named Juan Pablo II, and was opened to the public on June of the current year.

The construction of the highway developed by Consorcio Autopista del Nordeste, C.xA. has a total length of 106 kilometers with a sidewalk of 2.50 meters, two lanes of 3.65 meters each and width of 8 meters. The highway has a sub base of granular material of 0.25 meters, a base of an asphalt type material of 0.20 meters and 6 inches of hot asphalt.

The construction phases were conducted in eight (08) work fronts simultaneously distributed in the 106 kilometers of the project which included the dismantling, cleaning, earth moving and conformations of embankments.

The project includes 14 bridges with planks and beams built with reinforced concrete with resistance of 350 kilograms per square centimeters in the stirrups and flanking walls. The bridges also have resistance of 210 kilograms per square centimeter.

The highways has three (03) toll stations located in the three sections dividing the project, the first toll station is located in Las Americas highway stretch-Villa Mella (Marbella), the second installment in Villa Mella - Monte Plata (Naranjal) and the last station on the stretch Monte Plata (Guaraguao) -Cruce Rincón de Molinillos.

The construction was a concession by the company (80%), while the state made a contribution of the remaining 20%.

The project was financed by funds from the capital markets through the placement of bonds in the international financial market to 20 years with a rate of 9.39%. The construction also has the support of MIGA (Multilateral Investments Guarantee Agency) entity under the World Bank, who approved to ensure the project and became the first project of its kind in which the MIGA gives a political risk insurance to foreign investors.

The main objective of this project is to integrate the touristic destinations of Boca Chica, Santo Domingo and the eastern region of the country with the northern region of the country where the municipalities of Nagua, Sanchez and Samaná are located. In addition the highway will facilitate the transportation of passengers to airports Catey in Samaná and Las Americas in Santo Domingo.

During the construction, Autopista del Nordeste, respected the environment of the Haitises and used instead the existing lanes until Rincón de Molinillos, contributing to the preservation of its environment.

The operation and maintenance of the highway will be under Autopista del Nordeste for the first thirty years, and during that time will provide services such as law enforcement and security, ambulance services, crane and basic mechanics, as well as centers of health care services, communication, information and assistance to the traveler.

The design of the highway saves three hours of road time being able to travel from Santo Domingo to Samaná in approximately an hour and a half at 80 kilometers per hour, decreasing to 60 kilometers in the mountains and 50 kilometers in Haitises, saving this way time and fuel.

In 2005, the World Bank conducted a study that gives a high rate of social return to this construction.

Source: elnuevodiario.com.do

up +