Puerto Rico Highway 22

Puerto Rico Highway 22 (PR-22), also part of unsigned Interstate PR2, is an 84.3 km (52.4 mi)^[3] long toll road on the north coast of Puerto Rico that connects the cities of San Juan and Hatillo. The road is also known as the José de Diego Expressway (Spanish: Expreso José de Diego), and is part of unsigned Interstate PR-2. It is a 4-lane road for much of its length, but expands to up to 12 lanes in the San Juan metro area. The road is frequently congested, in particular during rush hour due to heavy commuter traffic.

Highway 22
Ruta 22
Autopista José de Diego
PR-22 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by Metropistas
Length	84.3 km[1] (52.4 mi)
Existed	1969[2]–present
Major junctions
West end	PR-2 in Carrizales
Major intersections	PR-129 in Hato Abajo PR-10 in Tanamá PR-149 in Coto Norte PR-2 in Bajura PR-167 in Hato Tejas PR-5 in Juan Sánchez–Palmas PR-165 in Pueblo Viejo PR-2 in Pueblo Viejo PR-18 in Hato Rey Norte PR-1 in Santurce
East end	PR-26 in Santurce
Location
Country	United States
Territory	Puerto Rico
Municipalities	Hatillo, Arecibo, Barceloneta, Manatí, Vega Baja, Vega Alta, Dorado, Toa Baja, Bayamón, Cataño, Guaynabo, San Juan
Highway system
Roads in Puerto Rico List
← PR-21 → PR-23

Route description

PR-22 is Puerto Rico's most traveled highway.^[4] 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.

• 
  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):

• San Juan
• Guaynabo
• Cataño
• Bayamón
• Toa Baja
• Dorado
• Vega Alta
• Vega Baja
• Manatí
• Barceloneta
• Arecibo
• Hatillo

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.^[5] 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.^[6]

History

Construction of this road began in 1969. The section from San Juan to Toa Baja opened in 1969 and in 1997 to Arecibo.^[7] Construction of the road was partially funded from appropriations of the U.S. Interstate Highway System.^[8]

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.^[9]

Future

Puerto Rico Highway 22 by municipality

Heading west in Dorado

Heading east in Vega Alta

Heading east in Vega Baja

Heading west in Arecibo

Buchanan Toll Plaza

PR-22 is planned to be extended to Aguadilla.^[10] 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.^{[citation needed]}

Tolls

PR-22 is maintained by a system of tolls managed by the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works.^[11] 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[12]	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;^[13] 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

• 
  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

Municipality	Location	km[1]	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       Electronic toll collection       Incomplete access        Tolled       Route transition

See also

• Puerto Rico portal
• U.S. Roads portal

• Interstate Highways in Puerto Rico
• José de Diego

References

1. "PR-22" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
2. Historia. Departamento de Transportacion y Obras Publicas de Puerto Rico. Archived on 16 February 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
3. Guía de Carreteras Principales, Expresos y Autopistas. (In Spanish) Puerto Rico Autoridad de Carreteras y Transportacion (ACT).
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. "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.
7. Legends of Puerto Rico. Archived 2010-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
8. U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Additional Designations. Retrieved on February 20, 2008.
9. Abertis-Goldman Sachs group wins highways deal with $1.08 billion bid Archived 2012-03-24 at the Wayback Machine
10. 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
11. Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works
12. "Mapas y Tarifas". Metropistas (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
13. DTOP

External links

Template:Attached KML/Puerto Rico Highway 22

KML is from Wikidata

• Media related to Puerto Rico Highway 22 at Wikimedia Commons