Senator assures Santo Domingo-Samaná highway toll is the most expensive in the world

PEDRO CATRAIN ASSURED THAT WHAT IS CHARGED IN THE TOLL OF THE REFERRED ROAD IS THE HIGHEST, NOT ONLY IN THE COUNTRY BUT THE WORLD

Santo Domingo, DR

The Senator of Samaná, Pedro Catrain, asked during the Senate session on Wednesday to review the toll contract for the Santo Domingo-Samaná highway, stating that its price affects tourism development in the area.

“That road has an elevation per year. For example, from 2008 to 2019, the cost of the toll rose by 38 percent, so that an urgent review of that contract is required,” said the legislator.

He also said that this high price had represented an obstacle for provinces such as Monte Plata, María Trinidad Sánchez, Duarte, and Samaná.

Likewise, he assured that the toll charged for traveling the highway mentioned above is the highest, not only in the country but in the whole world.

“ The cost of the toll to get from Santo Domingo to Las Terrenas is the highest cost in the world, the highest in the Dominican Republic. The cost of the toll is two thousand pesos round trip,” said Catrain.

He also said that the Dominican Government had paid 21 billion pesos in “shadow toll” in the last seven years.

In his formal request, he argued that the review should go to the Contracts Commission, in addition to the creation of a special commission made up of senators from the most affected provinces.

The resolution was sent to the Contracts Commission by the president of the Senate of the Republic, Eduardo Estrella, to investigate the issue in question, stating that legislators who want to be part of the process are free to do so.