Santiago Public Investment Reaches RD$4.73 Billion In 2026

Santiago de los Caballeros, the Dominican Republic’s second-largest city and the main economic center of the Cibao region, has RD$4.73 billion allocated to public investment projects in 2026. The largest share is concentrated in the reconstruction of complementary works along the Gregorio Luperón Tourist Highway linking Santiago with Puerto Plata.

The highway project has been assigned RD$1.68 billion, equivalent to roughly 35.5% of the investment budget allocated to Santiago province. The scale of the allocation places the road works well ahead of other major projects included in the province’s public investment portfolio.

Gregorio Luperón Highway Takes the Largest Share

The Gregorio Luperón project is recorded under two separate budget allocations. One carries RD$1.30 billion, while the second provides another RD$381.5 million, bringing the combined allocation to RD$1.68 billion.

By the end of July, the two budget lines had recorded combined accrued spending of RD$632.3 million, representing 37.7% of the resources assigned to the project. The investment is focused on complementary works associated with the Santiago-Puerto Plata section of the tourist highway.

The route provides an important connection between Santiago, one of the country’s principal urban and commercial centers, and Puerto Plata, a major tourism destination on the northern coast. Infrastructure improvements along the corridor therefore connect two economically significant areas of the Cibao region.

Street Sol Renovation Ranks Second

The next-largest allocation in the Santiago portfolio is the renovation of Calle del Sol, one of the city’s central urban corridors. The project covers the section between General Valverde and Sabana Larga streets and has a budget of RD$366.6 million.

By the end of July, RD$178.8 million had been accrued for the Calle del Sol project, equivalent to 48.8% execution. Its allocation is substantially smaller than that of the Gregorio Luperón highway works, but its higher execution rate places it among the more advanced major projects in the province.

The distribution of investment highlights the importance of transportation infrastructure within Santiago’s 2026 public spending plans. Road projects account for a significant portion of the resources directed toward the province, covering both regional connectivity and improvements to the city’s urban road network.

Investment Links Santiago With the Wider Cibao Economy

The concentration of resources in road infrastructure gives the Santiago portfolio a regional dimension. Santiago serves as a major commercial and industrial hub for the Cibao, while Puerto Plata is one of the Dominican Republic’s established coastal tourism centers. Improvements to the corridor between the two provinces can support movement between these economic areas, although the budget figures alone do not establish the project’s eventual economic impact.

DIGEPRES, the Dominican government’s General Directorate of Budget, identifies the Gregorio Luperón project among the country’s major public investment initiatives for 2026. Its published budget documentation lists the project at RD$1.68 billion, consistent with the two allocations assigned to the Santiago-Puerto Plata works.

With spending on the highway project at 37.7% by the end of July and the Calle del Sol renovation at 48.8%, the execution of these projects will determine how much of Santiago’s planned infrastructure investment is converted into completed works during the remainder of 2026.