Senate commission presses highway authority for details on $227M PR‑10 completion plan

The Senate Commission on Development (South and Central) convened on June 2, 2021 to review the status of projects intended to convert Puerto Rico Highway 10 (PR‑10) into an expressway linking Arecibo and Ponce. Commissioners opened the hearing to examine five pending contract segments and to obtain segment‑level technical, schedule and funding information from the Autoridad de Carreteras y Transportación.

Ing. Alexandra Velázquez Delgado, director of design for the Autoridad de Carreteras, told the commission the remaining tramos of PR‑10 consist of four segments between Utuado and Adjuntas and that the “project proposed consists of the construction of the four pending segments to finalize PR‑10” as an expressway with a median and controlled access. She stated the total cost for the outstanding work is “approximately two hundred twenty‑seven million dollars.”

Commission members pressed for detailed stationing, lengths, bridge counts and procurement methods for each contract. The authority identified projects by internal codes (AC100069, AC100071, AC100055 and AC100076) and gave the following segment highlights during the hearing: AC100071 (km 36.20–34.30) is about 1.929 km with five bridges and an estimated construction cost near $60–$67 million; AC100069 is roughly 1.571 km, design complete and projected for construction in late 2023 with an estimated $48 million cost and a circa‑24‑month construction duration; AC100055 is estimated at 2.30 km, conceptually projected to include eight bridges and currently at low design/completion status (roughly 35% conceptual design reported for some design‑and‑build projects); AC100076 was described as in preliminary design with acquisitions complete and an estimated construction cost near $40–$41 million if funded by CDBG.

On procurement, the Authority said AC100071 and AC100069 may follow conventional contracting whereas AC100055 and AC100076 are candidates for design‑and‑build procurement. Ing. Velázquez noted that the schedule depends on availability of funds; she said the Authority has requested CDBG funds from the Department of Housing and that the timing of presubasta/subasta (procurement/auction) events depends on fund receipt. The Authority reported it is drafting request‑for‑proposals and hopes to have RFP documents prepared as early as September, “if funds are available.”

Commissioners raised sequencing and connectivity concerns. One member warned that constructing isolated tramos without their connecting segments would leave “projects that do not connect to anything” and therefore urged the Authority to prioritize the segments necessary to establish continuous roadway connections. The Authority acknowledged sequencing constraints and confirmed that certain tramos must precede others to create functional linkages.

Environmental mitigation and river impacts were also discussed. Commissioners and one member of the public asked whether design and environmental reviews account for sedimentation risk to Río Grande de Arecibo and downstream Lago Dos Bocas when earth and material are removed during construction. Ing. Velázquez said environmental studies and mitigation plans are standard practice and described ongoing negotiations to transfer a finca called “Hacienda Verde” to the Department of Natural Resources to host compensatory mitigation for impacted trees and wildlife.

Throughout the hearing, commissioners repeatedly requested clearer documentation. The commission chair said the one‑page memo provided to the panel was insufficient and required a segment‑by‑segment memorandum that lists stationing (from‑to kilometers or station numbers), exact bridge counts, whether each tramo is at‑grade or elevated, presubasta/subasta schedules and the formal communication to the Department of Housing requesting CDBG funding. The chair stated: “I need you to send us, within the next five working days, everything that involves the bridges, the tramos that are aerial, the tramos that are at grade, the kilometers or construction stations and the official presubasta dates,” and requested a copy of the Authority’s communication to Housing to confirm funding timing.

No formal vote was taken at the hearing. The Authority representatives agreed to provide the requested documentation and photos of the tramos and said they would deliver additional details and a digital copy of the materials for the commission and other legislators. The hearing was closed after the commission reiterated the five‑working‑day request and thanked the Authority representatives for attending.

What the record shows and next steps The hearing established the Authority’s current estimates (total remaining cost ~ $227 million) and tentative procurement paths, but left open key oversight questions the commission identified as necessary for legislative review: (1) precise stationing/station limits for each tramo, (2) itemized reasons for cost (bridges, expropriation, environmental mitigation), (3) confirmed availability/timing of CDBG funds and related Department of Housing correspondence, (4) clarified procurement schedule (presubasta/subasta) tied to fund allocations, and (5) final environmental mitigation plan details (including Hacienda Verde transfer). The Authority committed to submit the requested memorandum and supporting documents within five working days to the commission.