By Luisa Marquez

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a $ 130 million loan for the Dominican Republic, who has requested it to fund a project that provides for the total rehabilitation of the toll road network, known as Viadom. The initiative will help improve connectivity between cities where they want to encourage further tourism development, such as Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata.

According to what the IDB said in a statement released this week by several news agencies, the approved funds will allow the rehabilitation of a total of 199 kilometers of roads and construction of 68 additional miles in the Caribbean nation.

 

According to the note the company that will carry out the works is Dominican Concession Roads, and that the project places special emphasis on improving the road linking the capital, Santo Domingo, to Santiago and Puerto Plata.

According to statements of Victor Salgado, project team leader for the Department of Corporate and Structured Finance IDB they have also planned the construction of a bypass road in the city of Santiago, and an access road that linked to Santo Domingo with the southern cities of San Cristobal and Bani.

Salgado has emphasized that this endeavor is essential to ensure greater connectivity in the main land north-south axis of the Dominican Republic, where thanks to the works will reduce travel time, will ease traffic within cities linked and facilitate the activities trade and tourism.

Another important initiative is to contribute to the creation of some 2,500 jobs during the process works and then 500 thousand, with the operation of the toll road, which the Caribbean country's tourism authorities will also help improve safety for travelers.