Groundbreaking for Ámbar Highway to Begin in 15 Days, Abinader Announces
The president says work on the highway that will cut the Santiago–Puerto Plata trip to 35 minutes starts in two weeks.
Key points
- Groundbreaking expected within 15 days, according to President Luis Abinader.
- The government has already delivered the first budget allocation of RD$5,780 million.
- The contract went to the Consorcio Autopista del Ámbar for RD$28,800 million, covering about 35 kilometers.
- Site preparation has already begun in Montellano, Puerto Plata, according to the Minister of the Presidency.
President Luis Abinader announced that the groundbreaking for the Ámbar Highway will take place within 15 days. He spoke from Madrid, Spain, where he met with Sergio Díaz-Granados, executive president of CAF, the multilateral financial institution that has shown interest in backing the project.
The government has already delivered the first budget allocation, worth RD$5,780 million. According to Minister of the Presidency José Ignacio Paliza, land preparation has already begun in Montellano, Puerto Plata, and the first two environmental permits have been secured for the Puerto Plata–Santiago and Santiago–Puerto Plata routes.
The roughly 35-kilometer highway was awarded by the RD Vial Trust to the Consorcio Autopista del Ámbar, S.R.L., made up of Magna, Rizek Constructora, Ingeniería Estrella and Constructora Mar, for RD$28,800 million. Once finished, the road will reduce travel time between Santiago and Puerto Plata from more than an hour to about 35 minutes.
After more than 20 years of cooperation, CAF supports sustainable and inclusive development initiatives in the country and opened offices in Santo Domingo in 2025. Its 2024–2028 Country Strategy prioritizes health, education, resilient infrastructure and the shift toward a low-carbon economy. The Dominican Republic joined CAF in 2004 and increased its capital in 2021 to become a full member.
Why it matters
The highway will cut the trip between Santiago and Puerto Plata from more than an hour to about 35 minutes, which could ease freight transport, tourism and investment in the Dominican north.
With additional reporting from: AlMomento.net