Peñuelas gets new PR-391 repaving and 20 new vehicles, first visible fruit of the $94 million road fund

The Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP) this week began repaving highway PR-391 in Peñuelas and delivered a fleet of 20 new vehicles to road-maintenance crews, in what is shaping up as the first visible on-the-ground project from the $94 million road fund the Fiscal Oversight Board approved in April to address Puerto Rico's islandwide road maintenance deficit ¹².

Governor Jenniffer González Colón, DTOP Secretary and Highway and Transportation Authority (ACT) director Edwin González Montalvo, and Peñuelas Mayor Josean González Febres led two announcements in the southern municipality on September 18 and 19: the delivery of the new vehicle fleet and the groundbreaking of work on PR-391 ¹³.

Where the money comes from

The story behind these announcements began in April, when the Financial Oversight and Management Board approved $94 million for the rehabilitation and repair of roads across Puerto Rico, earmarked for paving work, pavement rehabilitation, and addressing landslides ². DTOP itself had warned at the time of a funding crisis: the agency receives just $12 million a year for regular maintenance, when it needs roughly $200 million annually for basic upkeep alone, and it estimates there are around 700 active landslides on the road network — some unaddressed for more than 20 years — whose full repair would cost about $280 million over four years ².

In May, the government distributed the first tranche of that fund: $43,016,835.73 split among 18 municipalities through memoranda of understanding signed by mayors and the governor. Peñuelas was one of the 18 municipalities that benefited, alongside Adjuntas, Vieques, Culebra, Barranquitas, Maricao, Las Marías, Jayuya, Hatillo, Camuy, Toa Baja, Aguadilla, Aguada, Carolina, Santa Isabel, Moca, Quebradillas, and Bayamón ³. The disbursement mechanism works in two phases: half the funds are released once a municipality submits a work plan approved by its DTOP regional director, and the other half once it demonstrates the work has actually begun ³. Mayors have until May 2027 to complete their projects.

This week's numbers

In Peñuelas, that money is now showing up on the pavement. The PR-391 repaving carries a cost of $1,110,282.75 and covers the stretch from the intersection at barrio Tallaboa Alta to the old Lotti school in barrio El Rusio ¹. The road carries an average of 9,900 vehicles a day and serves as the main route for the communities of Tallaboa Alta, La Moca, and El Rusio, who use it daily to reach jobs, schools, and businesses ¹.

Separately, DTOP and ACT received a fleet of 20 new vehicles worth $1.98 million, including a hook truck with a hydraulic crane for debris handling, a 10-yard dump truck, a water tanker truck, pickup trucks, Jeep Wranglers, and Nissan Rogues ⁴⁵. The governor said the goal is "to keep adding resources to provide safer roads in better condition for everyone" ⁴.

What it means for you

If you live, work, or drive through Tallaboa Alta, La Moca, or El Rusio in Peñuelas, expect lane closures or reduced traffic on PR-391 while the repaving is underway, so it's worth building in extra travel time over the coming weeks. For the rest of the island, the news matters because it confirms the $94 million fund the Board approved is actually being executed and didn't just stay on paper — and if your municipality was one of the 18 that signed the agreement in May, you can expect your city hall to announce its own project in the coming months, as long as it has already submitted and gotten approval for its work plan. It's also a sign that DTOP is bolstering its operational capacity with newer equipment, which in theory should speed up responses to potholes, landslides, and other road emergencies in your area.

How to / Checklist

1. If your municipality is one of the 18 (Adjuntas, Vieques, Culebra, Barranquitas, Maricao, Las Marías, Jayuya, Hatillo, Camuy, Toa Baja, Aguadilla, Aguada, Carolina, Santa Isabel, Peñuelas, Moca, Quebradillas, or Bayamón), call your city hall or check its official Facebook page to ask about the status of its work plan under the $94 million fund.
2. If you notice potholes or deterioration on a state road (not a municipal one) near your home, report it directly to DTOP at (787) 722-2929 or [email protected], citing the exact route number and kilometer marker if you know it.
3. Before traveling through the southern region, especially Peñuelas, check ACT's social media (@actprgov) or DTOP's for notices of partial closures tied to the PR-391 work.
4. If you're a resident of Tallaboa Alta, La Moca, or El Rusio, consider alternate routes during rush hours while the repaving is ongoing.
5. Keep public tabs on progress: the Comptroller's Office and DTOP itself periodically publish the status of federal and state road reconstruction funds on their transparency portals.

What's next

DTOP has not announced a specific completion date for the PR-391 work, but the rest of the $94 million — which already produced $43 million distributed to 18 municipalities in May — should keep generating similar announcements in other towns as each city hall finishes its work plan and shows that work has started, with a May 2027 deadline to complete projects. The funding gap DTOP itself acknowledged in April — roughly $280 million needed over four years just to address the 700 identified landslides — still hasn't fully closed, so the agency will likely keep pursuing additional allocations from the Fiscal Oversight Board and the central government in the coming months.

Sources

¹ NotiCel ² Metro Puerto Rico ³ Metro Puerto Rico ⁴ Foro Noticioso Puerto Rico ⁵ Foro Noticioso Puerto Rico