In a major step forward for infrastructure development in the Dominican Republic’s southwest, President Luis Abinader has officially opened the 13.5-kilometer Enriquillo–El Higüero highway in Barahona, a transformative project set to lift connectivity and quality of life for over 300,000 residents across the region. Constructed under the oversight of the country’s Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC), the new arterial road connects a string of dispersed communities, including Enriquillo, Cuatro Bocas, Arroyo Dulce, El Naranjal, and El Higüero, unlocking simplified access to critical public services ranging from primary and secondary education to emergency healthcare and inter-regional transportation.
At the inauguration ceremony, Public Works Minister Eduardo Estrella outlined that the completed highway is just one segment of a far more ambitious 52-kilometer integrated road network that will ultimately link four major southwest hubs: Enriquillo, Paraíso, Oviedo, and Pedernales. Once fully interconnected, the full network will function as an alternative travel corridor leading to the regional capital of Barahona and the national capital of Santo Domingo, cutting both commute times for local residents and logistics expenses for agricultural and commercial producers operating in the area.
Estrella went on to highlight the Dominican government’s sustained commitment to upgrading infrastructure across the entire southern region, noting several active and planned projects beyond the newly inaugurated highway. These include the ongoing development of the Barahona-Enriquillo highway, the expansion of the Enriquillo-Oviedo-Cabo Rojo-Pedernales road, and modernization upgrades to Oviedo Airport. He confirmed that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has remained a key financial and strategic partner in advancing these high-impact infrastructure initiatives, and made a major announcement: a national-scale bridge construction program will break ground across the country in the coming weeks.
Per MOPC projections, the Enriquillo–El Higüero highway will do more than improve local travel: it will deepen economic and social integration across the southwest, opening up access to opportunity for communities spanning Barahona, Paraíso, Polo, Pedernales, and Bahoruco for years to come.