Puerto Rico Highway 2 (PR-2) is a road in
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
that connects the cities of
San Juan and
Ponce. At 156 miles (230 km) long, it is Puerto Rico's longest
singled-signed highway.
The road runs counter-clockwise from San Juan to Ponce. PR-2 runs parallel to the northern coast of Puerto Rico (west of San Juan), then parallel to the west coast from near
Aguadilla
Aguadilla (, ), founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city and municipality located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela. Aguadilla i ...
running south through
Mayagüez. Shortly after Mayagüez, the road runs somewhat inland (through
Hormigueros
Hormigueros (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the western region of the island, northeast of Cabo Rojo; northwest of San Germán; and south of Mayagüez. Hormigueros is spread over 5 barrios and Hormigueros Pueblo (th ...
,
San Germán and
Sabana Grande) until it reaches the southern coast of Puerto Rico at
Yauco
Yauco () is a town and municipality in southern Puerto Rico. Although the downtown is inland, the municipality stretches to a southern coast facing the Caribbean Sea. Yauco is located south of Maricao, Lares and Adjuntas; east of Sabana G ...
, and continues to run parallel the southern shore as it approaches Ponce from the west. In addition to
Arecibo
Arecibo (; ) is a city and municipality on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, located north of Utuado and Ciales; east of Hatillo; and west of Barceloneta and Florida. It is about west of San Juan, th ...
, Aguadilla, and Mayagüez, the road runs through various other cities including
Guaynabo
Guaynabo (, ) is a city, suburb of San Juan and municipality in the northern part of Puerto Rico, located in the northern coast of the island, north of Aguas Buenas, south of Cataño, east of Bayamón, and west of San Juan. Guaynabo is spr ...
,
Bayamón, San Germán and Yauco.
In some sections the road is a four-lane highway while in other sections the road is either a six-lane or eight-lane highway.
The section of PR-2 from Ponce to the
PR-22
PR-22 (also part of unsigned Interstate PR2) is an long toll road in 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 ...
interchange in
Hatillo forms part of the
unsigned Interstate Highway PRI-2. PRI-2 originally included the entire route of PR-2 until the construction of PR-22, which has since been assigned the PRI-2 designation from its western terminus in Hatillo to its eastern terminus in San Juan.
Route description
San Juan to Hatillo
Puerto Rico Highway 2 starts off in San Juan as an 8-lane road and heads west roughly parallel to the northern shore of the island. It makes its way through the Caparra section of San Juan, intersecting with
Route 22, which provides access to San Juan's
Santurce ward and to the cities of
Carolina and
Caguas
Caguas (, ) is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and Trujillo Alto, west of Gurabo and San Lorenzo, and east of Aguas Buenas, Cidra, and Cayey. Caguas was founde ...
. Heading west, PR-2 traverses the cities of
Guaynabo
Guaynabo (, ) is a city, suburb of San Juan and municipality in the northern part of Puerto Rico, located in the northern coast of the island, north of Aguas Buenas, south of Cataño, east of Bayamón, and west of San Juan. Guaynabo is spr ...
and Bayamon as a heavily used road. In addition to numerous residential communities, PR-2 also provides access to malls, movie theaters, restaurants, hospitals, and various colleges and universities, among other facilities in this area.
The road then serves the towns of
Toa Baja
Toa Baja (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the northern coast, north of Toa Alta and Bayamón; east of Dorado; and west of Cataño. Toa Baja is spread over five barrios, including Toa Baja Pueblo (the downtown area and ...
,
Dorado
Dorado () is a constellation in the southern sky. It was named in the late 16th century and is now one of the 88 modern constellations. Its name refers to the dolphinfish (''Coryphaena hippurus''), which is known as ''dorado'' in Spanish, altho ...
, and
Vega Baja
Vega Baja (, ) is a town and municipality located on the coast of north central Puerto Rico. It is north of Morovis, east of Manatí, and west of Vega Alta. Vega Baja is spread over 13 barrios. The population of the municipality was 54,414 at ...
and
Vega Alta. In these areas the road experiences heavy traffic. Continuing west, Puerto Rico Highway 2 next serves the industrial towns of
Manatí and
Barceloneta providing access to several pharmaceutical companies, among other sources of employment outside the agricultural sector. In this area the road is also the main road to intersections leading to the beaches of Los Tubos, Mar Chiquita, Tortuguero, Puerto de las Vacas, and Las Criollas.
The next major city on the road is
Arecibo
Arecibo (; ) is a city and municipality on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, located north of Utuado and Ciales; east of Hatillo; and west of Barceloneta and Florida. It is about west of San Juan, th ...
. On PR-2, in the eastern part of Arecibo is the longest bridge in Puerto Rico. PR-2 also intersects with
PR-10
Puerto Rico Highway 10 (PR-10) is a major highway in Puerto Rico. The primary state road connects the city of Ponce in the south coast to Arecibo in the north; it is also the shortest route between the two cities.
Construction on the modern PR- ...
for access to the interior of the island as well as Ponce on the southern shore. After Arecibo the road then makes it way to the town of
Hatillo where it meets with the current western terminus of the new PR-22 expressway.
PR-2 Caparra.jpg, PR-2 near Caparra
Carretera número 2 (PR-2) 04.jpg, PR-2 in Caparra
PR-2 Bayamon.jpg, PR-2 in Bayamón
Carretera PR-2, Intersección Carretera PR-5, Bayamón, Puerto Rico.jpg, PR-2 in Bayamón
Hatillo to Mayagüez
West of its interchange with PR-22 in Hatillo, PR-2 becomes a primary road and meets several important highways that serve the center of the island such as PR-119, PR-110 and PR-112. This stretch of the highway contains a multitude of traffic lights. Following Hatillo the roads traverses the towns of Camuy, Quebradillas and Isabela. At Isabela, PR-2 provides access to roads leading to various beaches, including Blue Hole, Guajataca, and Jobos.
In the city of Aguadilla, PR-2 turns south at its intersection with PR-107, on its course towards the western city and
seaport
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
of Mayagüez. In this area Puerto Rico Highway 2 provides access to Aguadilla's Rafael Hernandez airport, as well as to various area beach resorts. The trip from Aguadilla to Mayagüez takes about 30 minutes, and PR-2 has fewer traffic lights in this stretch of the road than those experienced so far anywhere from its San Juan terminus starting point.
Mayagüez/Hormigueros
PR-2 is a major 6-lane highway in Mayagüez, which is one of the major cities in Puerto Rico. It intersect with PR-102 and PR-64, which serve as by-pass routes. The
farm to market
In the United States, a farm-to-market road or ranch-to-market road (sometimes farm road or ranch road for short) is a state highway or county road that connects rural or agricultural areas to market towns. These are better quality roads, usually ...
PR-102 highway also has access to PR-2 through the new
Puerto Rico Highway 63
Puerto Rico Highway 63 (PR-63) originates at Highway 102 in Mayagüez and terminates 0.6 kilometers later at Puerto Rico Highway 2
Puerto Rico Highway 2 (PR-2) is a road in Puerto Rico that connects the cities of San Juan and Ponce. At 15 ...
, another important intersection of Puerto Rico Highway 2. As it traverses the city of Mayaguez, PR-2 is the main road for access to the
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
The University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus (UPRM) or Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez (RUM) in Spanish (also referred to as Colegio and CAAM in allusion to its former name), is a public land-grant university in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. UPRM ...
and the
Mayagüez Zoo. Also, further south, PR-2 provides access to the
Mayagüez Mall, which is Puerto Rico's third largest shopping center and several medical facilities. The road then continues south through the municipality of
Hormigueros
Hormigueros (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the western region of the island, northeast of Cabo Rojo; northwest of San Germán; and south of Mayagüez. Hormigueros is spread over 5 barrios and Hormigueros Pueblo (th ...
.
PR-2 Mayaguez.jpg, PR-2 in Mayagüez
PR-2 Freeway.jpg, PR-2 as a freeway in San Germán. Continues this way until Ponce
Hormigueros to Ponce
Heading southeastward passed Hormigueros, PR-2 becomes a four-lane
controlled-access
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...
freeway in its way to Ponce. It has several exits in the municipalities of
San Germán,
Sabana Grande,
Guánica,
Yauco
Yauco () is a town and municipality in southern Puerto Rico. Although the downtown is inland, the municipality stretches to a southern coast facing the Caribbean Sea. Yauco is located south of Maricao, Lares and Adjuntas; east of Sabana G ...
,
Guayanilla
Guayanilla (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located on the southern coast of the island, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of Adjuntas, east of Yauco; and west of Peñuelas and about west of Ponce. Guayanilla is spread over 16 ...
and
Peñuelas. In this agricultural section, PR-2 provides access to some of Puerto Rico's southern beaches, such as
Boquerón. The road is also within a few minutes' drive from the
Guánica Dry Forest state park.
As the road makes its way through the hills of Peñuelas' barrio Tallaboa, the ruins of the abandoned 1970s
CORCO oil refinery as well as its
PPG supplier are visible to the right. Puerto Rico Highway 2 provides access to many rural communities in this stretch of the road. As it approaches Ponce, PR-2 becomes an 8-lane divided highway again. Before its entry to the municipality of Ponce,
Peñón de Ponce
Peñón de Ponce is a boulder in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico, located in the western coastal section of the municipality, in Sector Punta Cucharas, Barrio Canas, immediately north of Puerto Rico Highway 2 (PR-2), kilometer 220.1. ...
is a prominent
promontory
A promontory is a raised mass of land that projects into a lowland or a body of water (in which case it is a peninsula). Most promontories either are formed from a hard ridge of rock that has resisted the erosive forces that have removed the so ...
to the left of the road while
El Tuque beach will be visible to the right. There are also various hotels in the area. In the
Las Cucharas section of this area, there is also a good selection of restaurants by the shore, serving mostly
seafood
Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs (e.g. bivalve molluscs such as clams, oysters and mussels, and cephalopods such as octopus an ...
. Construction of the Ponce-to-Peñuelas stretch of PR-2 was completed in the early 1960s after construction work that began with the building of bridges over
Río Matilde
Río Matilde is a short river in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. It forms from the confluence of Rio Pastillo and Rio Canas. Río Matilde is one of the 14 List of rivers of Ponce, rivers in the municipality and, forming at an altitude ...
,
Río Portugués, and
Río Bucaná.
Ponce
![Mapa de la carretera PR-2 en Ponce, Puerto Rico (M2)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Mapa_de_la_carretera_PR-2_en_Ponce%2C_Puerto_Rico_%28M2%29.svg)
The road is an 8-lane divided highway in its western approach to Ponce. After its intersection with the
PR-52
Puerto Rico Highway 52 (PR-52), a major toll road in Puerto Rico, is also known as ''Autopista Luis A. Ferré''. It was formerly called ''Expreso Las Américas''. It runs from PR-1 in southwest Río Piedras and heads south until it intersects wit ...
expressway, the road becomes a 6-lane at-grade roadway in the city of Ponce. It provides access to barrios
Canas Canas or Cañas may refer to:
Places
* Canas (Lycia), a town of ancient Lycia, now in Turkey
* Amatlán de Cañas, a municipality in Nayarit, Mexico
* Cañas Canton, in Guanacaste province, Costa Rica
* Cañas, Costa Rica, capital of the Cañas (ca ...
,
Playa,
Canas Urbano,
San Antón,
Bucaná
Bucaná is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Together with Canas, Playa, Vayas, and Capitanejo, Bucaná is one of the municipality's five coastal barrios. The name of this barrio is of native Indian origin. It ...
, and
Sabanetas. It provides access to four of
Ponce's beaches, to the
Damas and
Dr. Pila hospitals, to various shopping plazas including the
Plaza del Caribe Mall and
Centro del Sur Mall, the Puerto Rico Judicial Center, the
University of Puerto Rico at Ponce
The University of Puerto Rico at Ponce (UPRP or UPR-Ponce) is a public college in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is the only campus of the University of Puerto Rico on the southern region of the island.
History
The school opened on 23 August 1970 as Co ...
, the
Mercedita Airport
Mercedita International Airport (AIM, ''Aeropuerto Internacional Mercedita'') is a public use international airport located three nautical miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The airport cover ...
, and numerous restaurants and other facilities. The PR-2 segment corresponding to the city of Ponce was built in the late 1940s and is known as the "Ponce By-Pass",
since it was used to "bypass" the urban and commercial city center when traveling due east from western towns such as
Guayanilla
Guayanilla (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located on the southern coast of the island, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of Adjuntas, east of Yauco; and west of Peñuelas and about west of Ponce. Guayanilla is spread over 16 ...
,
Yauco
Yauco () is a town and municipality in southern Puerto Rico. Although the downtown is inland, the municipality stretches to a southern coast facing the Caribbean Sea. Yauco is located south of Maricao, Lares and Adjuntas; east of Sabana G ...
,
San Germán, and
Mayagüez, to towns in eastern Puerto Rico such as
Salinas,
Guayama
Guayama (, ), officially the Autonomous Municipality of Guayama ( es, Municipio Autónomo de Guayama) is a city and municipality on the Caribbean coast of Puerto Rico. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 36,614. It is the c ...
,
Cayey
Cayey (), officially Cayey de Muesas, is a mountain town and municipality in central Puerto Rico located on the Sierra de Cayey within the Central Mountain range, north of Salinas and Guayama; south of Cidra and Caguas; east of Aibonito and Sal ...
,
Caguas
Caguas (, ) is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and Trujillo Alto, west of Gurabo and San Lorenzo, and east of Aguas Buenas, Cidra, and Cayey. Caguas was founde ...
, and
San Juan. The section of PR-2 between Guayanilla and Ponce opened in 1965.
[''Vista aérea del tramo de la autopista de Ponce a Guayanilla.''](_blank)
Biblioteca Digital Puertorriqueña. (Originally published by "El Mundo" on 24 October 1967.) Accessed 27 May 2018.
As the road makes its way through the city of Ponce, it is also known as the Ponce Bypass. The Ponce Bypass intersects with seven major roads:
PR-2R (''Carretera Pámpanos''), with access to the
Estadio Francisco Montaner;
PR-585
Puerto Rico Highway 585 (PR-585) is tertiaryPR-123
Puerto Rico Highway 123 (PR-123) is a secondary highway that connects the city Arecibo to the city of Ponce. It runs through the towns of Utuado and Adjuntas, before reaching Ponce. A parallel road is being built, PR-10, that is expected to tak ...
(''Avenida Hostos''), leading to the
Museo de Arte de Ponce
Museo de Arte de Ponce (MAP) is an art museum located on Avenida Las Américas in Ponce, Puerto Rico.Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico Tourism Company. Ven al Sur, page 20. San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2003. It houses a collection of European a ...
and
historic downtown Ponce;
PR-12
Puerto Rico Highway 12 (PR-12), also called Avenida Malecón, and Avenida Santiago de los Caballeros, is a 6.4-kilometer, limited-access highway entirely located within the city limits of Ponce, Puerto Rico, and connecting Puerto Rico Highway 1 ...
(''Avenida Santiago de los Caballeros''), leading to
La Guancha Boardwalk
Paseo Tablado La Guancha (English: ''La Guancha Boardwalk'') is a boardwalk in the La Guancha sector of the Playa barrio in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico, facing the Caribbean Sea. It was built under the mayoral administration of Rafael Cord ...
and the
Port of the Americas; and
PR-163 (''Avenida Julio Enrique Monagas'') leading to
Julio Enrique Monagas Family Park
Parque Familiar Julio Enrique Monagas (English: ''Julio Enrique Monagas Family Park'') is Puerto Rico's largest passive park.[Museo de Arte de Ponce
Museo de Arte de Ponce (MAP) is an art museum located on Avenida Las Américas in Ponce, Puerto Rico.Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico Tourism Company. Ven al Sur, page 20. San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2003. It houses a collection of European a ...]
. The road's last intersection in Ponce as well as its western terminus is at its intersection with
PR-133 westbound (''Calle Comercio'', a.k.a. ''Avenida Ednita Nazario'') and
PR-1
Puerto Rico Highway 1 (PR-1) is a highway in Puerto Rico that connects the city of Ponce to San Juan. Leaving Ponce, the road heads east and follows a somewhat parallel route along the southern coast of the island heading towards Salinas. At S ...
eastbound (''Avenida La Ceiba''). PR-133 heads west to
Ceiba Tree Park
Parque de la Ceiba (English: Ceiba Tree Park) is a passive park in sector Cuatro Calles of barrio San Antón, Ponce, Puerto Rico. Its centerpiece is the historic Ceiba tree, a tree associated with the founding of the city. Now surrounded by the ...
and PR-1 heads east to Mercedita Airport. After this dual intersection at PR-133/PR-1 the road seamlessly becomes a 4-lane thoroughfare called
Miguel A. Pou Boulevard, the city's main artery into the
Ponce Historic Zone
The Ponce Historic Zone (''La Zona Histórica de Ponce'') is a historic district in downtown Ponce, Puerto Rico, consisting of buildings and structures with architecture that date to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The zone go ...
.
Municipalities served
PR-2 runs through 26 municipalities.
Cataño,
Rincón,
Cabo Rojo and
Lajas are the only coastal municipalities in Puerto Rico (west of San Juan and Ponce) that PR-2 does not pass in the way from San Juan to Ponce, though PR-2 is less than one mile from the limits between Hormigueros and Cabo Rojo at its intersection with PR-100. PR-2 passes through a small segment of the municipality of Guánica, only slightly over a mile long. PR-2 also passes near Moca in the vicinity of Aguadilla, less than a mile away.
The following are the municipalities through which PR-2 runs, in counterclockwise from San Juan to Ponce:
*
San Juan
*
Guaynabo
Guaynabo (, ) is a city, suburb of San Juan and municipality in the northern part of Puerto Rico, located in the northern coast of the island, north of Aguas Buenas, south of Cataño, east of Bayamón, and west of San Juan. Guaynabo is spr ...
*
Bayamón
*
Toa Baja
Toa Baja (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the northern coast, north of Toa Alta and Bayamón; east of Dorado; and west of Cataño. Toa Baja is spread over five barrios, including Toa Baja Pueblo (the downtown area and ...
*
Dorado
Dorado () is a constellation in the southern sky. It was named in the late 16th century and is now one of the 88 modern constellations. Its name refers to the dolphinfish (''Coryphaena hippurus''), which is known as ''dorado'' in Spanish, altho ...
*
Vega Alta
*
Vega Baja
Vega Baja (, ) is a town and municipality located on the coast of north central Puerto Rico. It is north of Morovis, east of Manatí, and west of Vega Alta. Vega Baja is spread over 13 barrios. The population of the municipality was 54,414 at ...
*
Manatí
*
Barceloneta
*
Arecibo
Arecibo (; ) is a city and municipality on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, located north of Utuado and Ciales; east of Hatillo; and west of Barceloneta and Florida. It is about west of San Juan, th ...
*
Hatillo
*
Camuy
Camuy () is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Lares and San Sebastián; east of Quebradillas; and west of Hatillo. Camuy is spread over 12 barrios and Camuy Pueblo (the downtown area and the admini ...
*
Quebradillas
*
Isabela
*
Moca
*
Aguadilla
Aguadilla (, ), founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city and municipality located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela. Aguadilla i ...
*
Aguada
*
Añasco
*
Mayagüez
*
Hormigueros
Hormigueros (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the western region of the island, northeast of Cabo Rojo; northwest of San Germán; and south of Mayagüez. Hormigueros is spread over 5 barrios and Hormigueros Pueblo (th ...
*
San Germán
*
Sabana Grande
*
Guánica
*
Yauco
Yauco () is a town and municipality in southern Puerto Rico. Although the downtown is inland, the municipality stretches to a southern coast facing the Caribbean Sea. Yauco is located south of Maricao, Lares and Adjuntas; east of Sabana G ...
*
Guayanilla
Guayanilla (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located on the southern coast of the island, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of Adjuntas, east of Yauco; and west of Peñuelas and about west of Ponce. Guayanilla is spread over 16 ...
*
Peñuelas
*
Ponce
History
PR-2 has been in use for many decades. It was initially a 2-lane road. It experienced enhancements throughout the years. In the northern coast of the island, the need for a better road was addressed with the construction of
PR-22
PR-22 (also part of unsigned Interstate PR2) is an long toll road in 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 ...
, a new 4-lane road parallel to PR-2.
In the southern and southwestern part of the island, this need was addressed by improvements to the exiting PR-2 road, which was already a 4-lane road. In this stretch, during the mid 2000s to early 2010s, the
Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works
The Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP; es, Departamento de Transportación y Obras Públicas)— is the Executive Department of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico that regulates transportation and public works in Puerto Ric ...
(DTOP) converted most segments of PR-2 between Mayagüez and Ponce into a
limited access expressway. The segment between
Hormigueros
Hormigueros (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the western region of the island, northeast of Cabo Rojo; northwest of San Germán; and south of Mayagüez. Hormigueros is spread over 5 barrios and Hormigueros Pueblo (th ...
and San German, in particular, suffered from several at-grade intersections that slowed down travel time considerably. In an effort to increase the controlled access, freeway-style character of the highway, all at-grade intersections were either replaced by
overpasses or eliminated altogether. The last intersection to be converted was PR-2's intersection with PR-345 in Hormigueros.
As for the western section of PR-2, the DTOP has also eyed the stretch between Mayaguez to Aguadilla for conversion into a freeway. This would occur between the future western terminus of Puerto Rico Highway 22 in
Aguadilla
Aguadilla (, ), founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city and municipality located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela. Aguadilla i ...
to the Mayaguez city limits.
The PR-22 extension to Aguadilla was planned for completion in 2016,
and freeway conversion of the Aguadilla-to-Mayaguez segment of PR-2 was slanted to begin shortly afterward.
Improvements and PR-22
Due to the high population density on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, a new,
limited access
A limited-access road, known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway, expressway, limited access freeway, and partial controlled access highway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which ...
expressway
Expressway may refer to:
* Controlled-access highway, the highest-grade type of highway with access ramps, lane markings, etc., for high-speed traffic.
* Limited-access road, a lower grade of highway or arterial road.
*Expressway, the fictional s ...
,
PR-22
PR-22 (also part of unsigned Interstate PR2) is an long toll road in 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 ...
(also known as ''Autopista José de Diego''), was built parallel to highway PR-2. The goal was to reduce congestion on highway PR-2. Highway PR-22 has several exits that provide access to highway PR-2. Highway PR-22 ends in the municipality of Hatillo, just west of the city of Arecibo. In Hatillo, highway PR-2 meets highway PR-22. During its entire length, from San Juan to Hatillo, the two highways run parallel with each other. Plans are in place to extend PR-22 to Aguadilla.
Major intersections
Related routes
Puerto Rico Highway 2R ( es, Carretera Ramal 2, abbreviated Ramal PR-2 or PR-2R) refers to several urban roads in
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
, located in
Aguadilla
Aguadilla (, ), founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city and municipality located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela. Aguadilla i ...
,
Mayagüez, and
Ponce, which serve as
business routes
A business route (or business loop, business spur, or city route) in the United States is a short special route connected to a ''parent'' numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or ...
for PR-2.
Aguadilla spur
This short east–west segment, known as San Carlos Avenue, is the main connection to both downtown Aguadilla and Aguadilla Mall from PR-2. It begins at an interchange with PR-2, immediately to the east is the mall. It then heads west through a curvy downhill slope, quickly arriving in the town square and intersecting with PR-111. It then immediately ends at PR-440 in front of the coastline. From the PR-2 interchange to the square it is divided, while the rest is a two way urban street.
Mayagüez loop
Historically was the right of way of PR-2 inside Mayagüez downtown before the construction of Avenida Eugenio María de Hostos. The entirety of its segment in Mayagüez was formerly known as Calle Post, until recently when it was renamed into two names, under the
José Guillermo Rodríguez
José Guillermo Rodríguez Rodríguez is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the Mayor of the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico for 27 years until March 31, 2022 when he was suspended by the Special Independent Prosecutor Panel. He was born in ...
administration. As the longest street in Mayagüez, served as main entrance to the center of the city and gave access to some communities as Colombia, Santurce, Belmonte, Cuesta de las Piedras, Río Cristal and Barriada Nadal (Poblado Sábalos). Originally named by governor
Regis Henri Post
Regis Henri Post (January 28, 1870 – October 5, 1944) was a New York politician and the governor of Puerto Rico from April 17, 1907 to November 6, 1909. He was born in Suffolk County, New York.
Life
Post was born in Bayport, New York, the s ...
in 1909, it was recently renamed both honoring
Alfonso Valdés Cobián and
Ramón Emeterio Betances
Ramón Emeterio Betances y Alacán (April 8, 1827 – September 16, 1898) was a Puerto Rican independence advocate and medical doctor. He was the primary instigator of the Grito de Lares revolution and is considered to be the father of the Pu ...
by disposition of the Municipal Legislative. Currently the entire road was renumbered to PR-239.
The former street runs north–south for 5 miles and begins in a park at front of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez on the intersection of PR-2, connecting with
Puerto Rico Highway 65 just before crossing the
Yagüez River. In this section is called now Alfonso Valdés Cobián Boulevard. Going south the Yagüez River comes inside the downtown of Mayagüez city, crossing the Méndez Vigo (PR-106), Candelaria (PR-105), Nenadich, Hiram David Cabassa, PR-348, PR-380, and Carolina roads to finally ending at the PR-2 aside with Avenida Corazones in
Sábalos ward. In this section is called now Ramón Emeterio Betances Street.
Ponce spur
Also known as ''Carretera a Pámpanos'', the north–south road runs for
and was the original PR-2 before the construction of the current alignment known as the Ponce By Pass. Some publications call the northern portion of this road Calle Coto Canas.
[''Desglose de Sectores y Centros de Votacion de Acuerdo a la Redistribucion Electoral 2000: Precinto Ponce 061.''](_blank)
Gobierno de Puerto Rico. Comision Estatal de Elecciones, Division de Planificacion. July 2008.
Located entirely within
Barrio Canas
Canas is one of the 31 barrios in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Anón, Coto Laurel, Guaraguao, Quebrada Limón, Real, San Patricio, and Marueño, and the coastal barrio of Capitanejo, Canas is one of the municipality's ni ...
, PR-2R begins at PR-2 in the south, in the Pámpanos neighborhood and, as you head north, it passes the
Paquito Montaner Stadium and the
Juan Pachín Vicéns Auditorium
''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of ''John''. It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking communities around the world and in the Philippines, and also (pronounced differently) in the Isle of Man. In Spanish, t ...
, both to the left. PR-2R then passes Escuela Superior Vocacional (Vocational High School) to the right and
Secretaría de Recreación y Deportes Francisco "Pancho" Coimbre to the left, where it intersects with
PR-163 (Avenida Las Américas). The road then continues north for approximately another one-half mile before ending at
PR-123
Puerto Rico Highway 123 (PR-123) is a secondary highway that connects the city Arecibo to the city of Ponce. It runs through the towns of Utuado and Adjuntas, before reaching Ponce. A parallel road is being built, PR-10, that is expected to tak ...
(Calle Villa Street). This northern terminus is located about 1.0 kilometer west of
downtown Ponce. The entire length of PR-2R in Ponce is a two-lane road.
In the 1810s, today's PR-2R in Ponce was part of what was called "Camino de Tallaboa" (Road to Tallaboa), a road that since, at least, the 1810s led from the center of Ponce to Barrio
Tallaboa in
Peñuelas. The 1810s' Camino de Tallaboa consisted of three segments. The first segment was half a kilometer long and led from the center of Ponce in the east (
Plaza Real) to a point west where today's Calle Villa intersects Calle Capitan Correa. That segment was called "Calle de la Villa" (Street to the Villa), for it led to the "Villa de Ponce" (the center of town) from points west. This segment is today (2019) part of
PR-132
Puerto Rico Highway 132 (PR-132) is a secondary highway that connects the town of Guayanilla to the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The road runs through the town of Peñuelas before reaching Ponce. In Ponce, PR-132 starts where Calle Villa ends.El ...
, the road to Peñuelas. The second segment of Camino de Tallaboa was called "Carretera al Barrio de los Pámpanos", or just "Carretera a Pámpanos". It had its northern terminus at today's Calle Villa and headed southwest to barrio Pámpanos, a small community bound on the south by today's PR-2, on the east and north by today's
Avenida Eduardo Ruberté, and in the west by the eastern banks of
Río Matilde
Río Matilde is a short river in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. It forms from the confluence of Rio Pastillo and Rio Canas. Río Matilde is one of the 14 List of rivers of Ponce, rivers in the municipality and, forming at an altitude ...
. Thus Carretera a Pámpanos had its southern terminus at today's PR-2 in
Barrio Canas
Canas is one of the 31 barrios in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Anón, Coto Laurel, Guaraguao, Quebrada Limón, Real, San Patricio, and Marueño, and the coastal barrio of Capitanejo, Canas is one of the municipality's ni ...
.
[Eduardo Neuman Gandia. ''Verdadera y Auténtica Historia de la Ciudad de Ponce.'' Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña. 1913. page 61.] This second/middle segment of Camino de Tallaboa is what is called today PR-2R.
) The third and last segment of Camino de Tallaboa had its eastern terminus at Carretera Pámpanos and its western terminus in Peñuelas's Barrio Tallaboa. Between the late 1940s and 1965, this road was replaced by today's PR-2.
See also
*
Interstate Highways in Puerto Rico
The highway system in Puerto Rico is composed of approximately of roads in Puerto Rico, maintained by the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works (Spanish: ''Departmento de Transportación y Obras Públicas'') or DTOP. The hi ...
*
List of highways in Ponce, Puerto Rico
This is a list of highways in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The list focuses on major, signed, roads in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico.List of highways numbered 2
The following highways are numbered 2. For roads numbered A2, see list of A2 roads. For roads numbered B2, see list of B2 roads. For roads numbered M2, see list of M2 roads. For roads numbered N2, see list of N2 roads.
International
* AH2, As ...
*
List of streets in Ponce, Puerto Rico
This article provides a listing, with brief descriptions, of the most traveled or best known streets and thoroughfares in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Unless otherwise noted, traffic is two-way. If traffic is two-way for the entire length of the street ( ...
Notes
References
External links
Historia de las Carreteras de Puerto Rico. Retrieved July 30, 2009.Roads in Porto Rico. By Manuel Victor Domenech (Former Commissioner of the Interior), in ''The Overland Monthly''. Vol 73, No, 4; April, 1919. Page 321. Retrieved September 23, 2009.
{{Interstates
002 002, 0O2, O02, OO2, or 002 may refer to:
Fiction
*002, fictional British 00 Agent
*''002 Operazione Luna'',
*1965 Italian film
*Zero Two, a ''Darling in the Franxx'' character
Airports
*0O2, Baker Airport
*O02, Nervino Airport
Astronomy
*1996 ...
02