Puerto Rico Highway 52

It has been suggested that Puerto Rico Highway 18 be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since April 2017.

Highway 52
PRI-1 Autopista Luis A. Ferre Expressway
Route information
Maintained by Puerto Rico Dept. of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP)
Length:	67 mi (108 km)
Existed:	1969, 1975, 1996 – present
Major junctions
North end:	PRI-1 / PR-18 / PR-1 in Río Piedras
	PR-177 in San Juan PR-199 in San Juan PR-30 / PR-1 / PR-1 / PR-1 in Caguas PR-34 / PR-196 in Downtown Caguas PR-156 in Downtown Caguas PR-34 in Downtown Caguas PR-1 in Cayey PR-53 in Salinas PR-10 in Mercedita PR-1 in Sabanetas PR-12 in Playa
South end:	PRI-2 / PR-2 / PR-2 in Ponce
Highway system
Puerto Rico Highways ← PR-47 PR-53 →

The Puerto Rico Highway 52 (PR-52) is a major toll road in Puerto Rico today known also as the Autopista Luis A. Ferré, it was formerly known as Expreso Las Americas. It runs from PR-1 in southwest Río Piedras and heads south until it intersects with highway PR-2 in Ponce. At its north end, the short PR-18 continues north from PR-52 towards San Juan. This short segment is known as Expreso Las Americas, the only segment of the route still unofficially bearing this name, since PR-18 is officially named Roberto Sánchez Vilella Expressway. The combined route of PR-18 and PR-52 is concurrent with the unsigned Interstate Highway PRI-1. PR-52 is a toll road. Toll stations are located in Caguas, Salinas, Juana Díaz, and Ponce.

Toll Plazas[edit]

Location	Toll	Direction	AutoExpreso acceptance	AutoExpreso replenishment (R) lane
Montehiedra	$0.35	Eastbound(Ramp)
Caguas Norte	$1.50	Eastbound
Caguas Sur	$1.00	Westbound
Salinas	$1.75	Eastbound
Rampa Salinas Sur	$0.35	Eastbound
Juana Díaz Este	$0.50	Eastbound
Juana Díaz Oeste	$0.50	Westbound
Ponce	$0.75	Two-way

Route description[edit]

PR-52 is Puerto Rico's longest and second most traveled tollway. The road is mostly a 2-lane road in each direction. The section between the Caguas toll and the town of Salinas goes across the Cordillera Central, resulting in a more curvy and hilly section than the other sections of the highway. It also experiences more fog and lower visibility than the rest of the road due to the altitude. The speed limit is also reduced in the area.

One of Puerto Rico's only 2 rest areas is located on this expressway. map The other rest area is located on PR-53 (northbound only) near Humacao/Naguabo municipality border although it is signed as a scenic zone and thus just like the rest area on PR-52, it has no facilities. map The rest area, however, has no relief, vending, or service facilities such as a restaurant or a gas station. The rest area does include an important monument, the Monumento al Jíbaro Puertorriqueño. The whimsical Tetas de Cayey are visible from this rest area as well.

PR-52 passes extremely close to the central town of Cidra between approximately kilometer markers 34 and 30. In fact, Exit 32 to Guavate is so close to the Cidra border that once the exit is taken and instead of going south to Guavate and Patillas through PR-184, going north it quickly ends at PR-1 and a welcome sign to Cidra is shown. The tollway itself never enters Cidra itself, but PR-1 (the parallel road from Ponce to San Juan) does.

History[edit]

The building of this 108-kilometre (67 mi)^[1] expressway took place during the administration of governor Luis A. Ferré, who was trained as a civil engineer himself. ^[2][3] It was built at a cost of $125 million.^[4] PR-52 was Puerto Rico's first toll road ever. Construction for this road started in October 1968 during the administration of governor Roberto Sánchez Vilella, also a trained engineer, and continued during Luis Ferre's tenure. It was then named Autopista Las Americas, and it was planned to run from San Juan to Ponce.^[5] On December 9, 1993, Law 118 was enacted which renamed the roadway Autopista Luis A. Ferre.^[5] The expressway is currently the longest in the island, but this will change when the 83-km-long PR-22 extends to Aguadilla. In March 1969 the roadway became a tolled expressway. The Puerto Rico Highway and Transportation Authority reports that tolls were added to the highway to speed up its construction.^[5] The road was completed in 1975 during the first administration of governor Rafael Hernández Colón.^[6]

Photos[edit]

The Monumento al Jíbaro Puertorriqueño and Las Tetas de Cayey.  PR-52 near Santa Isabel  PR-52 near Cayey and Salinas

Exit list[edit]

This section contains a table that is missing mileposts for one or more junctions. Please help by adding the missing mileposts.

Municipality	Location	km	mi	Exit	Destinations	Notes
San Juan		0.00	0.00	0A	PR-18 north (PRI-1 north) – San Juan, Bayamón, Hato Rey	North end of PR-52; PRI-1 continues northbound via PR-18. Access to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport and hospitals.
		0.00	0.00	0B	PR-1 east – Carolina, Río Piedras, Trujillo Alto	No northbound access to PR-1 south.
		0.90	0.56	1	PR-177 – Guaynabo, Bayamón, Cupey	Southbound exits signed as 1A (west) and 1B (east)
		2.40	1.49	2	PR-199 – Guaynabo, Trujillo Alto, Cupey
		4.10	2.55	4	Avenida Montehiedra / Camino Los Romero – Caimito	Toll on northbound on-ramp; signed as exits 4A and 4B southbound
Caguas		14.20	8.82	14	PR-1 south / PR-30 east – Caguas, Humacao	Southbound exit
		15.50	9.63	15	PR-1 north – San Juan, Guaynabo, Río Cañas	The exits from the northbound direction signed as 15A (North) and 15B (South).
		15.85	9.85	15A	PR-1 – San Juan, Guaynabo, Río Cañas	The exit from the southbound direction signed as Exit 15.
		15.85	9.85	15B	PR-1 south / PR-30 east – Caguas, Humacao, Gurabo	The exit from the southbound direction signed as Exit 14.
		18.40	11.43	18	PR-196 – Balroa, Valle Tolima	The direct exit to Las Catalinas Mall.
		19.35	12.02	19	PR-156 – Aguas Buenas, Caguas
		20.45	12.71	20	Calle Degetau (PR-34)
		21.35	13.27	21	PR-172 – Caguas Sur, Cidra, Certenejas	The direct exit to Menonita Caguas Regional Hospital and Plaza del Carmen Mall
		23.10	14.35	23	PR-1 – Caguas Sur, Borinquen
Cayey		32.15	19.98	32	PR-184 / PR-1 – Cidra, Guavate, Cayey Este	This exit is just a few feet away from the border of Cidra and Cayey
		38.80	24.11	39	PR-1 – Cayey, Aibonito, Cidra	Access to Centro Medico Menonita de Cayey
		49.20	30.57		Rest Area	Northbound exit has access to PR-714.
Salinas		57.50	35.73	58	Albergue Olímpico	Access via PR-1 / PR-712
		60.90	37.84	60	PR-53 east – Guayama	Directional T interchange; The left southbound exit into the southwestern terminus of PR-53
		61.50	38.21	61	PR-53 east – Guayama	The northbound exit into the southwestern terminus of PR-53.
		66.20	41.13	65	PR-1 – Salinas, Camp Santiago	Toll on eastbound off-ramp and westbound on-ramp
Santa Isabel		76.95	47.81	76	PR-153 – Santa Isabel, Coamo
		77.70	48.28	77	PR-545 – Gabia
		81.40	50.58	80	PR-536 – Descalabrado, Los Llanos	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
Juana Díaz		91.20	56.67	91	PR-149 – Juana Díaz, Villalba, Fort Allen
Ponce		95.50	59.34	95	PR-506 – Coto Laurel
		98.00	60.89	98	PR-10 – Ponce Norte, Adjuntas, Mercedita Airport	Signed as exits 98A (north) and 98B (south), access to San Lucas Hospital
		100.85	62.67	99	PR-1 – Ponce Centro, Mercedita	Signed as exits 99A (west) and 99B (east)
		104.90	65.18	104	PR-12 / Avenida R. Cordero – Ponce Centro, Plaza del Caribe, Ponce Playa, Zona Portuaria	Signed as exits 104A (north) and 104B (south)
		108.00	67.11	108	PR-2 (PRI-2) / Calle Baramaya – Ponce Oeste, Mayagüez, Guayanilla	Southwest end of Interstate PR1 and PR-52. Splits into PR-2
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also[edit]

• Interstate Highways in Puerto Rico

Route map: Google

References[edit]