Jams at all hours, experts see strengthening of public transport as a solution

Already in Greater Santo Domingo, there is no rush hour at any time the traffic jams arise. Therefore, experts in urban planning only see that the Government emphasizes strengthening public transport systems such as the Metro and Cable Car of Santo Domingo and buses.

The vehicle fleet has grown unchecked. According to data obtained by the Report with Alicia Ortega, “Between 2010 and 2020, the country’s vehicle fleet that includes cars, buses and motorbikes almost doubled from 2.7 million to 4.8 million, according to data from the Directorate General of Internal Revenue. Of these, 44.4% are in Greater Santo Domingo, with 28.5% in the National District.

“The country has basically tripled its vehicle fleet in 20 years, that’s too fast a growth,” deplored architect Marcos Barinas, who said that if the government invests in public transportation, it will generate a change concerning the inequity that exists in transportation.

Last Wednesday in his speech on the occasion of his first year in government, President Luis Abinader announced the implementation of 12 reforms for the coming years, as part of his plan to “thoroughly modernize” the Dominican Republic and in search of achieving a “second institutional and material restoration for the country,” among those reforms is the Transport sector.

“Transport reform: to create a modern urban and interurban mobility system and achieve a collectivisation of transport that decongests traffic and is useful for all citizens.”