Puerto Rico Highway 66

Puerto Rico Highway 66 (PR-66)[lower-alpha 1] is a main tollway which parallels Puerto Rico Highway 3 going from the city of Carolina, Puerto Rico via a 3 loops cloverleaf interchange with PR-26 and PR-3,[3] a major exit in the form of a Trumpet interchange in Canóvanas, Puerto Rico and ending in the municipality of Río Grande, Puerto Rico with an intersection of PR-3.[4] It is only 19.5 kilometres (12.1 mi)[5] long and has very few exits, which work mainly to minimize traffic in the congested Carolina area of PR-3.[2]

Highway 66 marker Highway 66 marker

Highway 66

Ruta 66
Autopista Roberto Sánchez Vilella
PR-66 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by Puerto Rico DTPW
Length19.5 km[1] (12.1 mi)
Existed2006[2]–present
Major junctions
West end PR-3 / PR-26 in San Antón
Major intersections
East end PR-3 / PR-187 in Guzmán Abajo
Location
CountryUnited States
TerritoryPuerto Rico
MunicipalitiesCarolina, Canóvanas, Río Grande
Highway system
← PR-65→ PR-100

The highway is called the Roberto Sánchez Vilella Expressway, which is also the name given to the much larger PR-2 freeway segment from Hormigueros to Ponce. The second phase of PR-66 from Canóvanas to Río Grande was opened on 1 October 2012.[6]

Route description
  • A stretch of PR-66 heading to Río Grande
    A stretch of PR-66 heading to Río Grande
  • PR-66 interchange with PR-188 in Canóvanas
    PR-66 interchange with PR-188 in Canóvanas
  • PR-66 starts at PR-3 in Río Grande
    PR-66 starts at PR-3 in Río Grande

Naming

PR-66 is, in reality, an extension of older expressway PR-26, as both expressways are attached (that is, there is no need to take an exit to enter the other expressway, much like PR-18 and PR-52). PR-66 was assigned that number after U.S. Route 66 in the United States.

Controversy

PR-66 is very close to the El Yunque National Forest and at the start of construction there were problems between developers and environmental activists. Several acts of disobedience took place, including removing beams which had already been installed.[7] The expressway was planned to be extended to Fajardo but due to the close presence of the forest reserve, it was accorded to be extended to Río Grande and connect to PR-3 which has several exits between that municipality and Fajardo. It is possible PR-3 will be converted into a complete freeway, in that segment, as it approaches PR-53.[8][9]

The short expressway is very expensive in terms of toll fees and many people still go through PR-3 as a consequence. There are no plans to change the cost. The current toll fees are $1.50 and $1.00, respectively. This makes this small freeway the second most expensive tollway in the US (excluding bridges and tunnels), after the Dulles Greenway in Virginia in terms of its small length, about 30 cents per mile (19 ¢/km). The result is that PR-66 has low traffic most all the time, including during rush hours.[10] As of December 2011, the toll must be paid by pre-paid AutoExpreso.[11]

Tolls
Toll on Puerto Rico Highway 66
Location Toll Direction AutoExpreso
acceptance		 AutoExpreso
replenishment (R)
lane
Carolina $1.50 Two-way
Carolina Rampa Norte $0.75 Two-way (ramp)
Carolina Rampa Sur $0.75 Two-way (ramp)
Río Grande $1.00 Two-way

Exit list
MunicipalityLocationkm[1]miExitDestinationsNotes
CarolinaSan Antón0.00.0— PR-3 (Avenida 65 de Infantería) / PR-Avenida Jesús M. Fragoso – Carolina, Río Piedras

 PR-26 north (Expreso Román Baldorioty de Castro) – San Juan, Aeropuerto		Western terminus of PR-66
Martín González1.40.871 PR-887 – Carolina, Trujillo Alto, Saint Just
3.22.0Carolina Toll Plaza
Trujillo Bajo4.93.05 PR-853 (Carretera Felipe Birriel Fernández, "El Gigante de Carolina") – Carolina, Barrazas, CarruzosToll exit
CanóvanasCanóvanas10.86.710 PR-185 – Canóvanas, JuncosEastbound exit and westbound entrance
13.18.114


 PR-9188 to PR-3 / PR-188 north – Canóvanas, Río Grande, Loíza		Unsigned
Río GrandeGuzmán Abajo16.810.4Río Grande Toll Plaza (ETC only; no AutoExpreso replenishment lane)
19.111.919 PR-956 – Guzmán Abajo
19.512.1—
 PR-3 / PR-187 north – Canóvanas, Luquillo, Fajardo, Río Grande		Eastern terminus of PR-66; PR-3 exit 25
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

Notes
  1. PR-66 is the unsigned Interstate PRI3

References
  1. Google (28 February 2020). "PR-66" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  2. "Route 66 Extension to Río Grande". www.puertoricodaytrips.com.
  3. "Tránsito Promedio Diario (AADT)". Transit Data (Datos de Transito) (in Spanish). DTOP PR. p. 54. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019.
  4. National Geographic Maps (2011). Puerto Rico (Map). 1:125,000. Adventure Map (Book 3107). Evergreen, Colorado: National Geographic Maps. ISBN 978-1566955188. OCLC 756511572.
  5. Guía de Carreteras Principales, Expresos y Autopistas. Departamento de Transportación y Obras Publicas de Puerto Rico. Accessed 21 February 2020.
  6. "Fortuño inaugura nuevo tramo de la Ruta 66". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). 30 September 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  7. "2000 TSPR 60 Wanda Colón Cortés v. Carlos I. Pesquera CC-99-0666" (PDF). Rama Judicial de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  8. "Inauguran nuevo tramo de la Ruta 66". Primera Hora. 30 September 2012.
  9. "Convertirán carretera PR-3 en expreso última fase PR-66 hasta Fajardo".
  10. "Ruta 66: opinan que es costoso para un trayecto tan corto". Primera Hora. 3 December 2012.
  11. "AutoExpreso". www.autoexpreso.com.
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