Puerto Rico Highway 52

Highway 52
Autopista Luis A. Ferre Expressway
Route information
Maintained by Puerto Rico Dept. of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP)
Length 67 mi (108 km)
Existed 1969, 1975, 1996 – present
Major junctions
North end PR-18 / PR-1 in Río Piedras
 

PR-177 in San Juan
PR-199 in San Juan
PR-30 / PR-1 / PR-1 / PR-1 in Caguas
PR-34 / PR-196 in Downtown Caguas
PR-156 in Downtown Caguas
PR-34 in Downtown Caguas
PR-1 in Cayey
PR-53 in Salinas
PR-10 in Mercedita
PR-1 in Sabanetas

PR-12 in Playa
South end PR-2 / PR-2 in Ponce
Highway system

Puerto Rico Highways

← PR-47PR-53 →

The Puerto Rico Highway 52 (PR-52) is a major toll road in Puerto Rico today known also as the Autopista Luis A. Ferré, it was formerly known as Expreso Seinsei. It runs from PR-1 in southwest Río Piedras and heads south until it intersects with highway PR-2 in Ponce. At its north end, the short PR-18 continues north from PR-52 towards San Juan. This short segment is known as Expreso Las Americas, the only segment of the route still unofficially bearing this name, since PR-18 is officially named Roberto Sánchez Vilella Expressway. The combined route of PR-18 and PR-52 is concurrent with the unsigned Interstate Highway PRI-1. PR-52 is a toll road. Toll stations are located in San Juan, Caguas, Salinas, Juana Díaz, and Ponce.

Toll Plazas

Location Toll Direction E-Z Pass
acceptance		 E-Z Pass
replenishment (Cash)
lane

{’’’Change)

Montehiedra $0.35 Eastbound(Ramp)
Caguas Norte $1.50 Eastbound
Caguas Sur $1.00 Westbound
Salinas $1.75 Eastbound
Rampa Salinas Sur $0.35 Eastbound
Juana Díaz Este $0.50 Eastbound
Juana Díaz Oeste $0.50 Westbound
Ponce $0.75 Two-way

Route description

Detailed map of PR-52 in the Municipality of Ponce

PR-52 is Puerto Rico's longest and second most traveled tollway. The road is mostly a 2-lane road in each direction. The section between the Caguas toll and the town of Salinas goes across the Cordillera Central, resulting in a more curvy and hilly section than the other sections of the highway. It also experiences more fog and lower visibility than the rest of the road due to the altitude. The speed limit is also reduced in the area.

One of Puerto Rico's only 2 rest areas is located on this expressway. map The other rest area is located on PR-53 (northbound only) near Humacao/Naguabo municipality border although it is signed as a scenic zone and thus just like the rest area on PR-52, it has no facilities. map The rest area, however, has no relief, vending, or service facilities such as a restaurant or a gas station. The rest area does include an important monument, the Monumento al Jíbaro Puertorriqueño. The whimsical Tetas de Cayey are visible from this rest area as well.

PR-52 passes extremely close to the central town of Cidra between approximately kilometer markers 34 and 30. In fact, Exit 32 to Guavate is so close to the Cidra border that once the exit is taken and instead of going south to Guavate and Patillas through PR-184, going north it quickly ends at PR-1 and a welcome sign to Cidra is shown. The tollway itself never enters Cidra itself, but PR-1 (the parallel road from Ponce to San Juan) does.

Speed Limit

San Juan To Caguas 55 mph Caguas to Salinas 45 mph Salinas To Ponce 65 mph

History

The building of this 108-kilometer (67 mi)[1] expressway took place during the administration of governor Luis A. Ferré, who was trained as a civil engineer himself. [2][3] It was built at a cost of $125 million.[4] PR-52 was Puerto Rico's first toll road ever. Construction for this road started in October 1968 during the administration of governor Roberto Sánchez Vilella, also a trained engineer, and continued during Luis Ferre's tenure. It was then named Autopista Las Americas, and it was planned to run from San Juan to Ponce.[5] On December 9, 1993, Law 118 was enacted which renamed the roadway Autopista Luis A. Ferre.[5] The expressway is currently the longest in the island, but this will change when the 83-km-long PR-22 extends to Aguadilla. In March 1969 the roadway became a tolled expressway. The Puerto Rico Highway and Transportation Authority reports that tolls were added to the highway to speed up its construction.[5] The road was completed in 1975 during the first administration of governor Rafael Hernández Colón.[6]

Photos

Exit list

MunicipalityLocationkmmiExitDestinationsNotes
San Juan 0.000.000A PR-18 north (PRI-1 north) – San Juan, Bayamón, Hato ReyNorth end of PR-52; PRI-1 continues northbound via PR-18. Access to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport and hospitals.
 0.000.000B PR-1 east – Carolina, Río Piedras, Trujillo AltoNo northbound access to PR-1 south.
 0.900.561 PR-177 – Guaynabo, Bayamón, CupeySouthbound exits signed as 1A (west) and 1B (east)
 2.401.492 PR-199 – Guaynabo, Trujillo Alto, Cupey
 4.102.554Avenida Montehiedra / Camino Los Romero – CaimitoToll on northbound on-ramp; signed as exits 4A and 4B southbound
Caguas 14.208.8214 PR-1 south / PR-30 east – Caguas, HumacaoSouthbound exit
 15.509.6315 PR-1 north – San Juan, Guaynabo, Río CañasThe exits from the northbound direction signed as 15A (North) and 15B (South).
 15.859.8515A PR-1 – San Juan, Guaynabo, Río CañasThe exit from the southbound direction signed as Exit 15.
 15.859.8515B PR-1 south / PR-30 east – Caguas, Humacao, GuraboThe exit from the southbound direction signed as Exit 14.
 18.4011.4318 PR-196 – Balroa, Valle TolimaThe direct exit to Las Catalinas Mall.
 19.3512.0219 PR-156 – Aguas Buenas, Caguas
 20.4512.7120Calle Degetau (PR-34)
 21.3513.2721 PR-172 – Caguas Sur, Cidra, CertenejasThe direct exit to Menonita Caguas Regional Hospital and Plaza del Carmen Mall
 23.1014.3523 PR-1 – Caguas Sur, Borinquen
Cayey 32.1519.9832 PR-184 / PR-1 – Cidra, Guavate, Cayey EsteThis exit is just a few feet away from the border of Cidra and Cayey
 38.8024.1139 PR-1 – Cayey, Aibonito, CidraAccess to Centro Medico Menonita de Cayey
 49.2030.57Rest AreaNorthbound exit has access to PR-714.
Salinas 57.5035.7358Albergue OlímpicoAccess via PR-1 / PR-712
 60.9037.8460 PR-53 east – GuayamaDirectional T interchange; The left southbound exit into the southwestern terminus of PR-53
 61.5038.2161 PR-53 east – GuayamaThe northbound exit into the southwestern terminus of PR-53.
 66.2041.1365 PR-1 – Salinas, Campamento SantiagoToll on eastbound off-ramp and westbound on-ramp
Santa Isabel 76.9547.8176 PR-153 – Santa Isabel, Coamo
 77.7048.2877 PR-545 – Gabia
 81.4050.5880 PR-536 – Descalabrado, Los LlanosWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
Juana Díaz 91.2056.6791 PR-149 – Juana Díaz, Villalba, Fort Allen
Ponce 95.5059.3495 PR-506 – Coto Laurel
 98.0060.8998 PR-10 – Ponce Norte, Adjuntas, Mercedita AirportSigned as exits 98A (north) and 98B (south), access to San Lucas Hospital
 100.8562.6799 PR-1 – Ponce Centro, MerceditaSigned as exits 99A (west) and 99B (east)
 104.9065.18104 PR-12 / Avenida R. Cordero – Ponce Centro, Plaza del Caribe, Ponce Playa, Zona PortuariaSigned as exits 104A (north) and 104B (south)
 108.0067.11108 PR-2 (PRI-2) / Calle Baramaya – Ponce Oeste, Mayagüez, GuayanillaSouthwest end of Interstate PR1 and PR-52. Splits into PR-2
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

Route map:

KML is from Wikidata

References

  1. ↑ Guía de Carreteras Principales, Expresos y Autopistas. (In Spanish) Puerto Rico Autoridad de Carreteras y Transportacion (ACT).
  2. ↑ Ian James. "Former Puerto Rican Gov. Luis A Ferre dies." The Miami Herald. October 22. 2003
  3. ↑ Guía de Carreteras Principales
  4. ↑ Historia de las Carreteras de Puerto Rico. Primera Hora. March 13, 2006.
  5. 1 2 3 "Historia". Government of Puerto Rico. Highway and Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on February 16, 2009. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  6. ↑ Legends of Puerto Rico Archived 2010-09-28 at the Wayback Machine.
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