San Juan to invest $210M over 36 months to revitalize infrastructure
San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero unveiled a lofty agenda to develop and revitalize the city’s infrastructure, investing $210 million over the next 36 months.
The works will be developed through grants obtained from the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), CDBG-DR funds under the City Revitalization program, as well as local funds, he said.
The city will use $22.1 million from the Federal Transit Administration to make improvements in the surroundings of the mass transit stops for sidewalks, lighting and compliance with requirements of the American Disability Act, better known as the ADA Law.
The town will also carry out improvements in the terminals of the Metropolitan Bus Authority in the Sur, Palerm and Capetillo stations. Another portion of the budget will be invested in the planning and development of improvements for the connector between Miramar and Condado.
Meanwhile, the municipality received a $91 million allocation from FEMA for 316 projects to improve roads, water control, buildings, and parks. To date, 113 facilities — representing 36% of the projects — have been put up for bids, worth about $12 million. It is projected that in the next 18 months, 203 facilities will go up for bidding.
With CDBG-DR funds aimed at revitalizing city centers and addressing the shortage of affordable housing, the municipal administration has an allocation of $74.2 million to work with different sectors such as: Old San Juan, Puerta de Tierra, Río Piedras, Hato Rey , Santurce, Cupey and Las Curías.
These works are in addition to the improvements to 15 town squares, four parks, two linear walkways and streets. Among the parks are Tercer Milenio, Gándara and Enrique Martí Coll in Hato Rey.
