PR-22
Route description
PR-22 is Puerto Rico's most traveled highway. PR-22 runs parallel to PR-2 and is concurrent with unsigned Interstate Highway PRI-2. Unlike PR-22, PR-2 is not a controlled-access road, and has numerous traffic signals throughout the full run of its course. The construction of highway PR-22 reduced congestion on PR-2. The eastern terminus is at PR-26 (a non-tolled freeway) in Santurce, and passes through the Minillas Tunnel before its terminus at PR-26. The freeway bypasses all of the cities PR-2 passes through (see below under "Course of the Expressway"). PR-22's western terminus is at PR-2 in Hatillo. From there, PR-2 continues to Aguadilla and Mayagüez, ending in Ponce.
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PR-22 begins in San Juan through Minillas Tunnel -
PR-22 enters the city of San Juan. The San Juan skyline is visible in the background
Municipalities served
The following is the list of municipalities/towns which PR-22 cuts through, in order from San Juan to Hatillo (westbound):
Express lanes
In 2013, the Puerto Rico Highways and Transportation Authority and Metropistas inaugurated express lanes with dynamic tolling (DTL) between Bayamón and Toa Baja to help alleviate traffic congestion during peak hours. These reversible lanes extends from Río Hondo to the Toa Baja Toll Plaza with a variable rate between $1.75 and $4.95 per direction. The speed limit on the nearly 12-kilometer route ranges between 50 and 55 miles per hour (80-90 km/h). It is expected that in the long term the lanes will be extended near Vega Alta.
History
Construction of this road began in 1969. The section from San Juan to Toa Baja opened in 1969 and in 1997 to Arecibo. Construction of the road was partially funded from appropriations of the U.S. Interstate Highway System.
Privatization
In 2011, the Autopistas Metropolitanas de Puerto Rico (Metropistas) consortium, comprised by Abertis Infraestructuras and Goldman Sachs Infrastructure Partners II LP, placed the winning bid for the 40-year PR-22 and PR-5 highway concession. The highways generate between $90 million and $95 million annually in toll revenue, which will now go to the private operators.
Future
PR-22 is planned to be extended to Aguadilla. The extension will be built as part of a public–private partnership, who will maintain and operate PR-22 for the next 40 years.
Services
Logo signs
In 2021, Metropistas began installing logo signs at exits advertising available food, gas, lodging, camping, and attractions available at exits via a contract with SunColors. As of January 2022 such signs have been installed at Exit 13 in Bayamón, and Exit 48 in Manatí.
Tolls
PR-22 is maintained by a system of tolls managed by the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works. All of its toll plazas have express lanes. After June 17, 2017, the seven tolls plaza of the PR-22 will become bidirectional.
| Location | Toll | Direction | AutoExpreso acceptance |
AutoExpreso replenishment (R) lane |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hatillo | $0.90 | Two-way | 
|
(eastbound only)
|
| Rampa Arecibo | $0.90 | Westbound entrance (ramp) |
|
|
| Arecibo | $1.30 | Two-way |
|
|
| Manatí | $1.30 | Two-way |
|
(westbound only)
|
| Vega Alta | $0.90 | Two-way |
|
(eastbound only)
|
| Toa Baja | $0.90 | Two-way |
|
(westbound only)
|
| Buchanan | $0.90 | Two-way |
|
(eastbound only)
|
Originally, PR-22 had only five toll plazas (Fort Buchanan, Toa Baja, Vega Alta, Factor ramp, and Hatillo); the Manatí and Arecibo toll plazas were added in the early 1990s.
The future segment from Hatillo to Aguadilla is expected to have four additional toll plazas; however, it remains to be seen whether they will be one way or two way.
As of 2014–2015, plans are underway to implement Open road tolling (ORT) and currently on many stretches of PR-22; Cash is no longer accepted to pay tolls with the exception of replenishing the toll tag.
On June 17, 2017 the new two-way collection rates came into effect by AutoExpreso in PR-22 and PR-5.
Exit list
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PR-22 east approaching exits 7A-B to PR-165 in Guaynabo -
PR-22 east at exit 13 to PR-167 in Bayamón -
PR-22 east at exit 57 to PR-140 in Barceloneta -
PR-22 east approaching exits 75A-B to PR-10 in Arecibo
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| Municipality | Location | km | mi | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hatillo | Carrizales | 84.3 | 52.4 | 84B |   PR-2 west (PRI-2) – Hatillo, Aguadilla, Mayagüez | Western terminus of PR-22. Splits into PR-2; Interstate PR2 continues westbound via PR-2 as an At-grade traffic light expressway. |
| 83.5 | 51.9 | 84A |   PR-2 east – Arecibo | |||
| 82.2 | 51.1 | Hatillo Toll Plaza | ||||
| Arecibo | Hato Abajo | 78.0– 77.9 | 48.5– 48.4 | 77 |  PR-129 – Arecibo, Lares, San Sebastián | Signed as exits 77A (north) and 77B (south) |
| Tanamá | 75.0– 74.9 | 46.6– 46.5 | 75 |  PR-10 – Arecibo, Utuado, Adjuntas | Signed as exits 75A (north) and 75B (south) | |
| Domingo Ruíz | 71.0 | 44.1 | 71 |    To PR-638 / PR-Avenida Músicos Arecibeños – Domingo Ruiz, Bajadero | Access to Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol Airport | |
| Factor | 64.9 | 40.3 | 64 |    PR-683 to PR-2 – Garrochales, Factor | ETC only; no AutoExpreso replenishment lane | |
| 64.2 | 39.9 | Arecibo Toll Plaza (ETC only; no AutoExpreso replenishment lane) | ||||
| Barceloneta | Florida Afuera | 56.9 | 35.4 | 57 |  PR-140 (Carretera Benito de Jesús Negrón) – Florida, Farmacéuticas | |
| 55.1 | 34.2 | 55 |  PR-140 (Carretera Benito de Jesús Negrón) – Barceloneta | |||
| Río Grande de Manatí | 55.1– 52.7 | 34.2– 32.7 | Puente Juan Ramírez Vélez | |||
| Manatí | Coto Norte | 47.7 | 29.6 | 48 |   PR-149 south (Carretera Fernando "Nando" Otero Sánchez) – Manatí Centro, Ciales | |
| 46.4– 46.3 | 28.8– 28.8 | 46 |  PR-686 (Carretera Leisha María Martínez Pagán) – Manati, Tierras Nuevas | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||
| 45.4 | 28.2 | Manatí Toll Plaza | ||||
| Vega Baja | Algarrobo | 41.7 | 25.9 | 42 |  PR-137 (Expreso Ángel "Tony" Laureano Martínez) to PR-2 – Morovis, Vega Baja | |
| Pugnado Afuera | 38.0 | 23.6 | 38 | PR-Avenida Trío Vegabajeño – Vega Baja | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
| Río Indio | 37.1– 36.5 | 23.1– 22.7 | Puente Paso del Indio | |||
| Almirante Norte | 35.8 | 22.2 | 35 |  PR-160 – Almirante Norte | ||
| Vega Alta | Bajura | 32.9 | 20.4 | 32 | PR-2 – Vega Alta, Vega Baja | |
| Sabana | 31.9 | 19.8 | 31 |  PR-690 – Cerro Gordo | Westbound exit only; no re-entry | |
| 31.4 | 19.5 | Vega Alta Toll Plaza | ||||
| Dorado | Higuillar | 27.5 | 17.1 | 27 |   PR-694 (Carretera Carmelo Mercado Adorno) to PR-695 (Carretera Pedro Barbosa Román) – Vega Alta, Maguayo, Higuillar | |
| Maguayo | 23.8 | 14.8 | 24 |   PR-659 / PR-693 (Avenida Édgar Martínez Salgado) – Dorado, Toa Alta | ||
| Toa Baja | Media Luna | 22.4– 22.3 | 13.9– 13.9 | 22 |   PR-165 – Toa Baja, Dorado, Toa Alta, Corozal | Westbound exits are signed as 22A (north) and 22B (south). |
| 21.8 | 13.5 | Toa Baja Toll Plaza | ||||
| Candelaria | 17.4 | 10.8 | 17 |   PR-865 (Carretera Candelaria Arenas) to PR-866 – Campanilla, Candelaria | ||
| Sabana Seca | 15.6 | 9.7 | 16 | PR-866 – La Arena, Base Naval, Sabana Seca | ||
| Bayamón | Hato Tejas | 12.7 | 7.9 | 13 |   PR-167 (Avenida Ramón Luis Rivera) – Bayamón Centro, Comerío, Levittown | Access to Bayamón station |
| Bayamón–Cataño municipal line | Juan Sánchez–Palmas line | 10.9 | 6.8 | 11 |  PR-869 (Carretera Industrial) – Palmas | |
| 10.1 | 6.3 | 10 |   PR-5 south (Expreso Río Hondo) – Bayamón | Only westbound direction. This is a new version (freeway version) of original access exit (Exit 9). | ||
| 9.7 | 6.0 | 9 |  PR-5 – Bayamón, Cataño | |||
| Guaynabo | Pueblo Viejo | 8.0 | 5.0 | Buchanan Toll Plaza | ||
| 6.9 | 4.3 | 7 |  PR-165 (Avenida El Caño) – Cataño, Zona Portuaria, Fort Buchanan, San Patricio | Exits signed 7A and 7B | ||
| 5.6 | 3.5 | 6 | PR-2 (Expreso John F. Kennedy) – Caguas, Guaynabo, San Patricio, San Juan, Hato Rey, Santurce | Signed as Exits 6A and 6B. In westbound direction there is an exit (Exit 5) to PR-2 northbound after Exit 2B. | ||
| San Juan | Gobernador Piñero | 4.6 | 2.9 | 5 |  PR-2 north (Expreso John F. Kennedy) / PR-Avenida José de Diego – Sector Bechara, Puerto Nuevo | PR-2 northbound is accessible from PR-22 westbound, and PR-2 southbound is accessible from Exit 6. |
| Hato Rey Norte | 3.0 | 1.9 | 3 | PR-Avenida Roosevelt / PR-Calle Calaf – Plaza Las Américas | Eastbound exit signed as 2B. | |
| 2.6 | 1.6 | 2A |  PR-18 south (PRI-1 / Expreso Las Américas) – Río Piedras, Cupey, Caguas | |||
| Santurce | 1.3– 1.2 | 0.81– 0.75 | 1 |   PR-1 to PR-2 south – San Juan, Bayamón, Guaynabo, Hato Rey, Santurce | Signed as Exits 1A and 1B. | |
| 0.9– 0.4 | 0.56– 0.25 | 0 |      PR-25 west (Avenida Juan Ponce de León) / PR-35 east (Avenida Manuel Fernández Juncos) / PR-37 (Avenida De Diego) – Santurce | Exits are signed as Exit 0A, Exit 0B, but Exit 0C in the tunnel are unsigned. These exits are only accessible in eastbound direction. Access to Pavía Santurce and Doctors' Center Hospital-San Juan. | ||
| 0.0 | 0.0 | — |  PR-26 (PRI-3 / Expreso Román Baldorioty de Castro) – San Juan, Condado Centro, Santurce, Carolina, Airport, Isla Verde | Eastern terminus of Interstate PR2 and PR-22. Splits into PR-26 and Interstate PR3. PR-26 exit 2A | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| ||||||
See also
References
- ^ "PR-22" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- ^ Historia. Departamento de Transportacion y Obras Publicas de Puerto Rico. Archived on 16 February 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ Guía de Carreteras Principales, Expresos y Autopistas. (In Spanish) Puerto Rico Autoridad de Carreteras y Transportacion (ACT).
- ^ Puerto Rico Highways and Transportation Authority. Presentation by Rubén Hernández Gregorat, Executive Director, PRHTA. February 26, 2010. At the Puerto Rico Credit Conference 2010. February 23–24, 2010.
- ^ García, Luisa (11 August 2013). "Abren carriles de peaje dinámico en la PR-22". Sin Comillas (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "Metropistas extenderá carril dinámico en la PR-22 para aliviar enorme tapón en Toa Baja". Primera Hora (in Spanish). 9 November 2022. Archived from the original on 9 November 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ Legends of Puerto Rico. Archived 2010-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Additional Designations. Retrieved on February 20, 2008.
- ^ Abertis-Goldman Sachs group wins highways deal with $1.08 billion bid Archived 2012-03-24 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Goldman Sachs, Abertis close on 40 year $1,136m concession of Puerto Rico's PR22 & PR5 tollroads Archived 2011-10-16 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works
- ^ "Mapas y Tarifas". Metropistas (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ DTOP
External links
Media related to Puerto Rico Highway 22 at Wikimedia Commons
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