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Gov. Jenniffer González Colón led the reopening ceremony for a section of highway PR-523 in Adjuntas on Monday alongside the Transportation and Public Works (DTOP by its acronym in Spanish) Secretary Edwin González Montalvo.
Nearly 600 families from the Juan González neighborhood will no longer have to travel an additional 40 minutes to get to their homes after the reopening of the stretch of the highway that was severely affected by Hurricane Fiona in 2022.
“To execute our economic and security proposals, it is essential to accelerate and complete the already delayed reconstruction of our infrastructure,” González Colón said in a written statement. “In particular, expedite projects related to the recovery from past emergencies such as hurricanes and earthquakes. Our people deserve no less.”
The reconstruction of the road, which began in June 2023 and concluded in this month, had an investment of nearly $5.6 million in commonwealth funds through an agreement between DTOP and the Highway and Transportation Authority (ACT). The work was carried out by the Puerto Rican company ReVa Construction, based in Jayuya.
The project included excavation and stabilization of the land, installation of “riprap” for erosion control, channeling of rainwater, placement of guard rails, asphalt paving and application of thermoplastic paint to improve visibility and safety on the road.
“This project on PR-523 will directly benefit the communities of Adjuntas, Jayuya and Utuado, ensuring safer and more reliable access,” González Montalvo said.
The communities benefited also include the Juan González, Pellejas, Vegas Arriba and Vegas Abajo neighborhoods, as well as commercial establishments, churches and agricultural centers in the area.
The event was attended by Adjuntas Mayor José Hiram Soto Rivera, Ponce District Sens. Jamie Barlucea Rodríguez and Marially González Huertas, Reps. Ensol A. Rodríguez Torres and Joe “Joito” Colón Rodríguez, and engineers Efraín Reyes and Ramón Vargas of ReVa Construction, as well as municipal legislators and members of the community.
