TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras.- Driving between the streets and avenues of the capital does not compare to moving on a high-traffic road, such as the one leading to the airport Palmerola.
The routes, curves and speed limits are different, in addition to not having traffic lights and mounds to reduce speed.
With the start of operations at the international airport of Palmerola, Dozens of people leaving the country for a flight will have to mobilize for the 73 kilometers of the CA-5 North that exists from the El Carrizal colony in Comayagüela and the new air terminal.
To show our readers the route on this road, a team of journalists from THE HERALD the task was given to experience this transfer and to know the road by which the passengers will be taken until Palmerola.
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It can take about 50 minutes to travel at a moderate speed of 73 kilometers, not to mention a person leaving a certain city colony and traffic that can be found on the Armed Forces Boulevard and ring road, which are roads that connect to the CA-5.
The first challenge was the fog on the road from the village of El Préssec to Amarateca, which did not allow you to see beyond 10 meters. About 45 open, closed and right-angled curves must be traversed along the journey. In addition to two long straight lines; one in Amarateca and another one in the valley of Comayagua in Villa of San Antonio.
A major danger for drivers is the wandering of self-propelled vehicles in the Amarateca area, where animals graze in the middle of the road. During the journey it was observed that light and heavy vehicles exceeded 120 kilometers per hour (in this portfolio the maximum speed is 80 kilometers per hour, as established by the Traffic Law).
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According to the authorities of the Honduras Road Concessionaire (Hide), The average capacity on the CA-5 for each toll booth is 10,000 vehicles.
“It should be noted that a four-lane road in optimal conditions such as the CA-5 North has a maximum technical capacity to mobilize up to 47,000 vehicles daily,” he said. David Palma, Manager of Hide.
He also detailed that during 2021 light vehicles will reach 73% of road traffic, 9.5% are five-axle motor vehicles and the rest correspond to other types of vehicles.
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The busiest hours on the roads between Tegucigalpa and Comayagua are from 7:00 to 9:00 in the morning, and from 4:00 to 6:00 in the afternoon.
Palma expressed that with the start of operations of Palmerola a natural increase in the circulation of light vehicles on the CA-5 North road is expected, specifically on the stretch between Tegucigalpa and Comayagua.
Also in the coming months there will be a significant decrease in the circulation of heavy vehicles, as they will have the opportunity to move it through the dry canal, which would be enabled before the end of this year. “In Covi Honduras from the start of operations we are ready to assist users of the CA-5 North road in the entire length of the road,” he said. Palma.
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Contingencies
Due to disrespect for road signs and inexperience when driving, road accidents are frequently reported on this road, so medical care must be provided. On average, about 280 ambulances are provided on this road each month. And due to the large mobilization of vehicles, almost 800 mechanical and crane services are given to drivers every month.
In order to reduce accidents, work will be done in conjunction with the government and mayors bordering the road to create road safety mechanisms.
To avoid road accidents, elements of the National Directorate of Roads and Transport (DNVT) They have fixed and mobile speed controls from Amarateca to the Conill sector, where they check the speed of vehicles using speed radars.
As a result of these actions dozens of drivers are penalized for exceeding speed limits every day.
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