President Abinader inaugurates section I of cable car to provide greater and better mobility to citizens of Santiago

This is an automated translation of the original release published in Spanish.

Santiago.- President Luis Abinader continues his transformation of the country and this Sunday he inaugurated the first section of the Santiago cable car, a project built with an investment of RD 6,544 million and which will directly impact around 74,000 inhabitants of nine of the most populous sectors of that city.

The Santiago cable car is part of the Santiago Integrated Transportation System (SIT-Stgo), an initiative that aims to integrate the physical, technological and fare rates of different means of public transportation with the aim of contributing to improving the quality of life of the inhabitants. of the city, as well as developing sustainable mobility alternatives that reduce the impact on the environment.

During the opening ceremony, the president recalled that on September 29, 2021 he was in the same place giving the first groundbreaking for the start of the construction of the great work that he delivers to all the residents of Santiago and with it one of the main initiatives of the administration he heads comes to fruition: the Santiago Integrated Transportation System, as an alternative that will provide a solution to one of the country's biggest social problems, which is land transportation.

"We are carrying out the greatest transformation in the mobility of our country. In these almost four years, and under adverse economic circumstances, we have acted in large cities in a comprehensive manner, reinforcing systems, improving existing ones and creating new systems, such as this Santiago cable car," said the head of state.

Safe, efficient and accessible means of transportation for all

The president, who was accompanied by Vice President Raquel Peña and the First Lady, Raquel Arbaje, expressed that since his administration began he has been implementing a true integrated transportation system in the two large metropolises of the country, like never before seen, due to the magnitude and speed.

He also said that the Santiago cable car is a project that will benefit thousands of people, by providing a safe, efficient and accessible means of transportation for all. Also, it will contribute to reducing traffic in the city, improving the quality of life of its inhabitants and facilitating access to hard-to-reach areas.

Investment of the work

President Abinader explained that more than 6.5 billion pesos have been invested in the work and around 74,000 inhabitants of nine of the most populous sectors of the city of Santiago will be directly impacted.

Free cable car for knowledge and adaptation for the people of Santiago

The president announced that starting tomorrow the system will be operating free of charge and with special hours, with the aim that the inhabitants of Santiago can use and learn about and adopt this modern transportation system and incorporate it into their daily routine as a safe, fast, comfortable and much more economical mobility option.

The cable car is coming to transform the city of Santiago, it will no longer be the same

President Abinader said that the transportation work will transform the city of Santiago, which will no longer be the same.

"This is the response that the Government gives to the needs of the people, of the working people to whom we must reward their great efforts, work to improve their living conditions and contribute to the development of their ideas and their life projects," said the president.

He added: "This comprehensive urban mobility project that is committed to a mass passenger transportation system is unique in the entire Caribbean region. Something that should make us feel extremely proud of the capacity and resilience of the Dominican Republic, which has proven to be a country that takes its own development and the well-being of its people very seriously.

The premier concluded by saying that: “Today a new future begins. Today we inaugurate a new transportation model, and today we also send a message; the most modern for everyone, without distinction.”

He also added that “you deserve the best. And this government thinks nothing other than giving them what they deserve. The future already has a new stop in Santiago. Get on.”

Improve the quality of life of citizens in all aspects

For his part, the Minister of the Presidency, Joel Santos Echavarría, pointed out a series of actions, which are complementary to the project and that demonstrate the Government's strategy of combining economic, social, environmental and urban development, as a way to improve the quality of life of citizens in all aspects.

Also, the senator for the province of Santiago, Eduardo Estrella, highlighted that since 1990 no work had been carried out in the province that crossed the Yaque del Norte River. He highlighted the other work that President Abinader has been carrying out in the province, with the delivery of various buildings for the benefit of all residents of the aforementioned Cibaeña region.

Historical moment that opens a new chapter

Meanwhile, the executive director of the Trust for the Development of the Mass Transportation System of the Dominican Republic (Fitram), an organization that manages the Urban and Interurban Mobility Project Development Office of the Ministry of the Presidency, Jhael Isa, stated that they are all witnesses of a historical moment that opens a new chapter in the sustainable development of the city of Santiago, which is the first organized public transportation system in this metropolis with the second most populated province in our country, which constitutes a true change .

The director of Fitram announced that the central terminal of the Santiago cable car will have a GOB Point where the government offices will be so that the inhabitants of the area can carry out their procedures easily.

About the Santiago cable car

The Santiago cable car is a cable transport system composed of 129 cabins with detachable clamps, with the capacity to transport 4,000 passengers per hour and in each direction, and will have a daily transport capacity of 64,000 people.

This first section of the system includes 4 kilometers that go from the La Yagüita del Pastor sector to the Las Carreras Central Terminal in Pueblo Nuevo, with 4 stations: E1: Central Station, E2: Emiliano Tardif Station, E3: Renée Klang de Guzmán Station and E4: Yolanda Santana Station. Its complete tour is done in 10 minutes.

Special service schedule of the Santiago Cable Car in its introductory phase:

In this first phase of education, the Santiago cable car will be offering services at special times to facilitate the city's citizens adopting the use of the system.

These schedules are:

• From March 18 to 31

• Monday to Friday from 8 to 10 in the morning.

• Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 4 to 6:00 p.m.

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• From the 1st. as of April 30:

• Monday to Saturday from 6:00 to 9:00 a.m and from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

• Sundays and holidays 12 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

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• Starting on the 1st. In May the schedule will be:

• Monday to Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

• Saturdays from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 

• Sundays and holidays from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the former President of the Republic, Hipólito Mejía; the senator for the province of Santiago, Eduardo Estrella; the ministers, Administrative of the Presidency, Igor Rodríguez; of Public Works, Deligne Ascensión; of Health, Víctor Atalah and the Dominican ambassador to the United States, Sonia Guzmán.

Also, the provincial governor of Santiago, Rosa Santos; the mayors of the National District, Carolina Mejía and de la Vega, Kelvin Cruz; the director of Proindustria and mayor elected by the municipality of Santiago de los Caballeros, Ulises Rodríguez; the directors, from Digeig, Milagros Ortiz Bosch; from the Unit for the Rehabilitation of Neighborhoods and Environment (URBE), José Miguel González Cuadra; from Opret, Rafael Santos; of National Assets, Rafael Burgos and of Inespre, Iván Hernández.