Abinader inaugurates new highway to strengthen tourism in the South

Barahona.- President Luis Abinader inaugurated the 13.5-kilometer Enriquillo–El Higüero highway in Barahona, a project designed to improve connectivity and mobility for more than 300,000 residents across the country’s southwest region. Built by the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC), the road links communities including Enriquillo, Cuatro Bocas, Arroyo Dulce, El Naranjal, and El Higüero, providing easier access to education, healthcare, and transportation services.

During the inauguration, Public Works Minister Eduardo Estrella said the highway forms part of a broader 52-kilometer road network connecting Enriquillo, Paraíso, Oviedo, and Pedernales. The route will serve as an alternative corridor to Barahona and Santo Domingo, helping reduce travel times and transportation costs for residents and local producers.

Estrella also highlighted ongoing infrastructure investments in the southern region, including the Barahona-Enriquillo highway, the Enriquillo-Oviedo-Cabo Rojo-Pedernales road, and improvements at Oviedo Airport. He noted that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) continues to support key projects and announced that a nationwide bridge construction program will begin in the coming weeks.

According to the MOPC, the new highway will strengthen regional integration and facilitate access to essential services, benefiting communities in Barahona, Paraíso, Polo, Pedernales, and Bahoruco.