ACN

After nearly two decades, Cuba is ready to resume the construction of the national highway with plans to complete three lanes in a 60 km stretch between the central provinces of Villa Clara and Sancti Spiritus by next year.

Ernesto Capdet Wert, director of Villa Clara’s Highway Administration Center, said authorities are evaluating the state of the unfinished road located between kilometres 260 and 320 of the highway.

The construction of the national highway was halted in the late 1980s because of the severe economic crises as a result of the strengthening of the US economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba.

The highway runs 600 kilometres in total across the island in three parts. The longest stretch spans from Pinar del Rio to Sancti Spiritus.

The two other stretches that were completed are: one running from Palma Soriano to the city of Santiago de Cuba and the other connecting the provinces of Santiago de Cuba with Guantanamo.

The plans also include adding a lane to the Guantanamo to Santiago de Cuba stretch and extending the 8-lane highway from Taguasco (Sancti Spiritus) to Ciego de Avila.

Cuban Minister of Construction Fidel Figueroa said that to build one kilometer of highway costs 1 million Cuban pesos, a cost he said could increase due to the skyrocketing price of oil.