Santo Domingo.- The second line ofthe Metro enters into service at 9:00 a.m. this morning. The lineconsists of 14 stations but the first phase will run from Duarte/QuintoCentenario avenues to Luperón/J.F. Kennedy avenues
According to LeonelCarrasco, Transport Office (OPRET) sub director, “the President’s instructions wereto put it into operation and this is what we’re going to do.”
The opening ceremonytakes place at Maria Montés station on Luperon and JFK avenues, and the trainswill serve all stops until the Ramón Cáceres station on V Centenario and Duarteavenues.
As a Christmas and NewYear gift, the government has announced that for nine days, from today untilJanuary 1st, citizens can ride Line 2 free of charge.
According to estimates,some 135,000 people will travel on the Duarte corridor each day, and Oprethopes that 80% of that total will use it in the first phase.
Carrasco said that thenew line has 15 trains with 45 cars that will depart every 4 to 5 minutes. Morethan 300 employees have been contracted to work on the second line of theMetro, including 30 drivers – 15 men and 15 women.
Line 2 will run from9:00 a.m. until 10 p.m. On public holidays like December 25th and 31stit will stop running at 8:00 p.m. Commuters can change from one line to theother at the Juan Pablo Duarte station on Máximo Gómez and John F. Kennedyavenues.
The other stops are onNúñez de Cáceres, Doctor Defilló, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and Lopede Vega avenues, as well as on Ortega y Gasset, San Martín, Josefa Brea, AlbertThomas and Francisco del Rosario Sánchez avenues.