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 Salinas, the road turns north to cut through the Cordillera Central in its approach to San Juan. Before reaching San Juan, it climbs to make its way to the mountain town of Cayey and then it winds down into the city of Caguas on its final approach to San Juan.[3]

Highway 1 marker Highway 1 marker Highway 1 marker Highway 1 marker
Highway 1
Ruta 1
Route information
Maintained by Puerto Rico DTPW
Length128.1 km[1][2] (79.6 mi)
Major junctions
South end PR-123 in PrimeroSegundo
Major intersections
North endCalle Tanca in San Juan Antiguo
Location
CountryUnited States
TerritoryPuerto Rico
MunicipalitiesPonce, Juana Díaz, Santa Isabel, Salinas, Aibonito, Cayey, Cidra, Caguas, Aguas Buenas, Guaynabo, San Juan
Highway system
PR-9189 PR-2

Route description

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Map of the southern terminus of PR-1 in the municipality of Ponce

PR-1 starts in Ponce and ends in San Juan. The route connects important cities such as Salinas, Cayey, and Caguas.

In Ponce, PR-1 intersects PR-2 and PR-52. One of the major roads in Ponce that PR-1 does not intersect is PR-10, which is accessible via an alternate route (PR-5506) through Mercedita Airport. A sign on PR-1 alerts drivers on where to get off to access PR-10.

PR-1 passes through a small portion of the central town of Cidra, merely off the border with Cayey; the exit from PR-52 to Guavate is less than 1 hectometer from the town, and going north all structures and buildings off the road on the right are in Cayey, while the road itself and everything on the left is in Cidra until it enters Caguas just passing the junction with PR-787, which connects PR-1 to the rest of Cidra. This means that Cidra can be reached quickly from the main tollway (PR-52) via Exit 32 to Guavate.

PR-1 is an undivided two-lane road, with some exceptions. In Ponce, it is a six-lane divided highway in its intersection with PR-578 and PR-2 in Sabanetas. There is a short segment in Cayey where PR-1 is also a divided highway. It becomes a divided road once again from Caguas to San Juan at a sector known as "La Muda".

PR-1 is roughly parallel to PR-52 throughout its entire length. Prior to PR-52's inauguration, PR-1 was the route of choice from traveling between Ponce and San Juan.

Signing

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PR-1 is signed "PR-1 East" in the segment that travels from Ponce to Salinas, and then signed "PR-1 North" in the segment that travels from Salinas to San Juan. Likewise, the road is signed "PR-1 South" in the segment that travels from San Juan to Salinas and then signed "PR-1 West" in the segment that travels from Salinas to Ponce.

History

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Construction of what became PR-1 began with the building of the Carretera Central, started during the governorship of Miguel de la Torre (1822–1837).[4] A small section from San Juan to Río Piedras was then started.[5] The Carretera Central proceeds south to Cayey along the route of the PR-1, then diverges, and was completed in 1887, taking over 50 years to complete.[4] The Road was also known as La Carretera Militar (The Military Road).[4] The modern PR-1 was opened on 10 March 1907.[6]

Major intersections

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All exits are unnumbered.

MunicipalityLocationkm[1][2]miDestinationsNotes
PoncePrimeroSegundo line128.179.6 
 
PR-123 south (Calle Villa) – Ponce
Southern terminus of PR-1; one-way street; northbound access via Calle Reina Isabel
Segundo127.779.3  PR-14R (Calle Unión) – PonceOne-way street
TerceroQuinto line127.379.1 
 
PR-14 north (Calle Salud) – Juana Díaz
One-way street
Tercero127.0–
126.9
78.9–
78.9
 
 
PR-1P east (Calle Cristina) – Ponce
One-way street; PR-1P eastbound access via Calle Montaner
Río Portugués126.978.9Puente de los Leones
San Antón126.478.5 
 
PR-12 south (Avenida Santiago de los Caballeros) – Playa
Incomplete diamond interchange; southbound exit and entrance
125.3–
125.2
77.9–
77.8
 
 
 
 
PR-2 west (Ponce Bypass) / PR-133 north (Avenida Ednita Nazario) – Ponce, Peñuelas, Mayagüez
Vayas123.876.9  PR-52 (Autopista Luis A. Ferré) – Juana Díaz, San Juan, MayagüezPR-52 exits 101A and 101B; cloverleaf interchange
VayasSabanetas line122.676.2 
 
  PR-5506 north – Aeropuerto Mercedita
Juana DíazRío Jacaguas117.9–
117.8
73.3–
73.2
Puente Juan Ponce de León[7]
CapitanejoCintrona line114.371.0  PR-149 – Juana Díaz
Santa IsabelBoca Velázquez104.7–
104.6
65.1–
65.0
 
 
PR-161 east (Desvío Norte Luis Muñoz Marín) – San Juan, Salinas, Coamo
Santa Isabel barrio-pueblo102.963.9 
 
PR-153 north (Calle Eugenio María de Hostos) – Coamo
One-way street
Felicia 1102.063.4 
 
PR-161 west (Desvío Norte Luis Muñoz Marín) – Ponce
SalinasRío Nigua91.4–
91.3
56.8–
56.7
Puente de los Poleos[7]
Salinas barrio-pueblo90.856.4 
 
PR-3 east (Calle Doctor Santos P. Amadeo) – Guayama
89.855.8  PR-180 (Avenida Pedro Albizu Campos) – Guayama
Lapa89.255.4  PR-52 (Autopista Luis A. Ferré) – Ponce, San JuanPR-52 exit 65
Aibonito
No major junctions
Salinas
No major junctions
AibonitoCuyón69.142.9  PR-162 – Aibonito
CayeyPedro AvilaPasto Viejo line66.041.0 
 
PR-7722 west (Ruta Panorámica) – Aibonito
Southern terminus of the Ruta Panorámica concurrency
SumidoMatón Arriba line61.138.0  PR-715 (Ruta Panorámica) – CercadilloNorthern terminus of the Ruta Panorámica concurrency; the Ruta Panorámica continues toward Guayama
Matón Arriba60.337.5 
 
 
 
PR-206 north to PR-170 (Avenida Roberto Díaz) – Cayey, Aibonito
Seagull intersection
Quebrada ArribaMonte Llano
Cayey barrio-pueblo tripoint
58.436.3  PR-15 – Cayey, Guayama
Monte LlanoCayey barrio-pueblo line56.7–
56.6
35.2–
35.2
 
 
 
 
PR-7715 south to PR-52 (Autopista Luis A. Ferré) – San Juan, Ponce
PR-52 exit 39; roundabout
55.534.5 
 
PR-14 west (Carretera Central) – Cayey
Southern terminus of the Carretera Central concurrency; the Carretera Central continues toward Aibonito
55.334.4 
 
PR-735 north (Carretera Central) – Cidra
Northern terminus of the Carretera Central concurrency; seagull intersection
Vegas53.633.3 
 
PR-735 west (Carretera Central) – Cidra
Southern terminus of the Carretera Central concurrency
CidraBeatriz50.431.3 
 
PR-184 south – Patillas, Guavate
CaguasQuebrada Las Quebradillas41.025.5Puente Las Quebradillas[7]
Turabo37.523.3  PR-32 (Avenida Luis Muñoz Marín) – Cidra, San Lorenzo
Caguas barrio-pueblo36.9–
36.8
22.9–
22.9
 
 
  PR-172 west (Avenida Pino) – Cidra
36.522.7  PR-34 (Avenida Federico Degetau) – San Juan, San Lorenzo
35.922.3  PR-33 (Avenida José Mercado) – Aguas Buenas, San Lorenzo
35.321.9 
 
PR-183 east (Calle Eduardo Georgetti) – San Lorenzo
One-way street
35.021.7 
 
PR-156 west (Calle Ramón Emeterio Betances) – Aguas Buenas
One-way street; westbound access via Calle Segundo Ruiz Belvis
34.5–
34.4
21.4–
21.4
 
 
 
 
PR-33 west (Avenida José Mercado) / PR-189 east (Avenida José Villares) – Aguas Buenas, Gurabo
34.0–
33.9
21.1–
21.1
 
 
PR-196 west (Avenida Garrido) – Aguas Buenas
33.3–
33.2
20.7–
20.6
 
 
PR-32 east (Avenida Luis Muñoz Marín) – Gurabo
Bairoa32.220.0 
 
PR-30 east (Expreso Cruz Ortiz Stella) – Gurabo, Humacao
Trumpet interchange
31.619.6  PR-52 (Autopista Luis A. Ferré) – San Juan, Bayamón, Carolina, Cayey, PoncePR-52 exits 14, 15, 15A and 15B; partial cloverleaf interchange
30.519.0  PR-798 (Carretera Central) – Río CañasNorthern terminus of the Carretera Central concurrency; the Carretera Central continues toward Guaynabo
Río Cañas28.918.0  PR-798 (Carretera Central) – Río CañasSouthern terminus of the Carretera Central concurrency; one-way street; southbound access at km 29.3; the Carretera Central continues toward Caguas
28.517.7  PR-798 (Carretera Central) – Río CañasNorthern terminus of the Carretera Central concurrency; the Carretera Central continues toward Guaynabo
27.917.3  PR-175 – Trujillo Alto, Carraízo
26.116.2 
 
 
 
PR-797 west to PR-798 (Carretera Central) – Aguas Buenas
Aguas Buenas
No major junctions
San JuanQuebrada Arenas25.916.1  PR-798 (Carretera Central) – Río CañasSouthern terminus of the Carretera Central concurrency; one-way street; southbound access at PR-797; the Carretera Central continues toward Caguas
GuaynaboRío23.314.5   PR-173 / PR-8834 (Carretera Central) – Aguas Buenas, Hato Nuevo, SonadoraNorthern terminus of the Carretera Central concurrency; the Carretera Central continues toward San Juan
21.313.2 
 
PR-20 north (Expreso Rafael Martínez Nadal) – Guaynabo
21.013.0   PR-169 / PR-8834 (Carretera Central) – Guaynabo, Hato Nuevo, SonadoraSouthern terminus of the Carretera Central concurrency; the Carretera Central continues toward Caguas
San JuanTortugo19.312.0  PR-873 (Carretera Central) – TortugoNorthern terminus of the Carretera Central concurrency; the Carretera Central continues toward San Juan
Caimito17.6–
17.5
10.9–
10.9
  PR-199 (Avenida Doña Felisa Rincón de Gautier) – Guaynabo, Caimito, CupeyPartial cloverleaf interchange
MonacilloMonacillo Urbano line16.410.2  PR-177 (Avenida Lomas Verdes) – Guaynabo, Bayamón, CupeyPartial cloverleaf interchange
Monacillo Urbano15.0–
14.6
9.3–
9.1
 
 
 
 
PR-18 north (Expreso Las Américas) / PR-52 south (Autopista Luis A. Ferré) – San Juan, Bayamón, Caguas, Ponce
No access to PR-52 from northbound
El Cinco13.3–
12.9
8.3–
8.0
 
 
 
 
  PR-21 west (Avenida Ingeniero José "Kiko" Custodio) / PR-176 south (Avenida Ana G. Méndez) – Guaynabo, Bayamón, Cupey
12.57.8  PR-8838 (Avenida Juan Ponce de León) – CupeySouthern terminus of the Carretera Central concurrency; one-way street; southbound access at km 12.9; the Carretera Central continues toward Guaynabo
Río Piedras12.37.6Puente de Río Piedras[7]
Hato Rey Sur12.1–
12.0
7.5–
7.5
 
 
PR-3 east (Avenida 65 de Infantería) – Carolina
Northern terminus of the Carretera Central concurrency
10.86.7  
 
  PR-17 (Avenida Jesús T. Piñero) to PR-18 (Expreso Las Américas) – San Juan, Carolina
Partial cloverleaf interchange
Hato Rey Norte9.35.8  PR-41 (Calle Eleanor Roosevelt) – Hato Rey
9.05.6  PR-23 (Avenida Franklin Delano Roosevelt) – Hato Rey
Santurce6.4–
6.2
4.0–
3.9
  
 
  PR-22 (Autopista José de Diego) to PR-18 (Expreso Las Américas) – Bayamón, Caguas, Carolina, Santurce
PR-22 exits 1A and 1B; partial cloverleaf interchange
5.5–
5.4
3.4–
3.4
  
 
PR-2 to PR-39 (Calle Cerra) – Bayamón, Guaynabo, Zona Portuaria, Santurce
Partial cloverleaf interchange; no access to PR-2 eastbound from southbound
3.352.08 
 
 
 
 
 
  PR-16 south (Bulevar Román Baldorioty de Castro) / PR-25 south (Avenida Juan Ponce de León) / PR-26 east (Expreso Román Baldorioty de Castro) – Santurce, Carolina
Southern terminus of PR-25 and the Carretera Central concurrencies; PR-25 southbound access via PR-16; the Carretera Central continues toward Santurce
Caño de San Antonio3.252.02Puente San Antonio and Puente Guillermo Esteves[7]
San Juan Antiguo3.051.90 
 
 
 
PR-25 north (Avenida de la Constitución) / PR-25P north (Avenida Luis Muñoz Rivera) / PR-Avenida Ashford – San Juan, Condado
Northern terminus of PR-25 and the Carretera Central concurrencies; PR-25 and Carretera Central northbound access via PR-25P; the Carretera Central continues toward San Juan
0.00.0PR-Calle Tanca – Old San JuanNorthern terminus of PR-1
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "PR-1 north" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  2. ^ a b "PR-1 south" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  3. ^ Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works. "Datos de Transito 2000-2009" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Historia de Puerto Rico. Paul Gerard Miller. Capitulo XX. Desarrollo Económico Durante el Siglo XIX. p. 326. New York: Rand McNally. 1922. Retrieved 3 November 2021. Archived.
  5. ^ Historia de la capital de Puerto Rico by Francisco M. Zeno, pg. 95
  6. ^ De San Juan a Cayey en carro público. Toñito Zayas. El Nuevo Día. 15 February 2014. Photo Number 6. Photo Caption. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  7. ^ a b c d e Luis F. Pumarada O’Neill (1991). "Los Puentes Históricos de Puerto Rico" (PDF) (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 March 2020.
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