# Puerto Rico Highway 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 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 Américas, 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 runs concurrent with the unsigned Interstate Highway PRI-1. Toll stations are located in San Juan, Caguas, Salinas, Juana Díaz, and Ponce.
* Puerto Rico Highway 52 by municipality
* Heading south in Cayey
* Heading north between Salinas and Cayey
* Heading north near Santa Isabel

## Route description

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 crosses 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.
The speed limit from San Juan to Caguas is 55 miles per hour (89 km/h). From Caguas to Salinas, it is 45 miles per hour (72 km/h), and from Salinas to Ponce, it is 65 miles per hour (105 km/h).
* The Monumento al Jíbaro Puertorriqueño and Las Tetas de Cayey
* View from PR-52 in Cayey
* A Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck on PR-52 south, with water and flag, after Hurricane Maria (2017)

### Express lanes

In 2021, the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works and the Puerto Rico Highways and Transportation Authority inaugurated express lanes with dynamic tolling (DTL) between San Juan and Caguas to help alleviate traffic congestion during peak hours. These reversible lanes extends from PR-18, near Río Piedras Medical Center, to the Caguas Norte Toll Plaza with a variable rate between $0.50 and $6.00 per direction. The speed limit on the nearly 14-kilometer route ranges between 50 and 55 miles per hour (80–90 km/h). It is expected that in the long term the lanes will be extended to PR-30 heading to Gurabo.

## History

The building of this 108-kilometer (67 mi) expressway took place during the administration of governor Luis A. Ferré, who was trained as a civil engineer himself. It was built at a cost of $125 million. 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 Américas, and it was planned to run from San Juan to Ponce. On 9 December 1993, Law 118 was enacted which renamed the roadway Autopista Luis A. Ferré. 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. The road was completed in 1975 during the first administration of governor Rafael Hernández Colón.
On 22 July 2019, more than half a million Puerto Ricans shut down PR-52 demanding the resignation of the then governor, Ricardo Rosselló, following a leaked Telegram chat between the governor and several members of his cabinet.

## Tolls

| Location | Toll | Direction |
| Ponce | $1.00 | Two-way |
| Juana Díaz Oeste | $0.70 | Northbound |
| Juana Díaz Este | $0.70 | Southbound |
| Rampa Salinas | $0.50 | Northbound exit and southbound entrance (ramp) |
| Salinas | $2.10 | Northbound |
| Caguas Sur | $1.30 | Southbound |
| Caguas Norte | $1.90 | Northbound |
| Rampa Montehiedra | $0.50 | Northbound entrance (ramp) |

## Exit list

* PR-52 south at its exit to PR-1 south in San Juan
* PR-52 south approaching exits 1A-B to PR-177 in San Juan
* PR-52 south at exit 2 to PR-199 in San Juan
* PR-52 south entering Ponce at its interchange with PR-10
| Municipality | Location | km | mi | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
| Ponce | Canas | 108.5 | 67.4 | 108 | PR-2 west (PRI-2 / Expreso Roberto Sánchez Vilella) – Mayagüez, Guayanilla | Southern terminus of Interstate PR1 and PR-52. Splits into PR-2. PR-2 exit 224. |
| Ponce | Canas | 108.0 | 67.1 | 108 | PR-2 east (Ponce Bypass) / PR-9 north (Avenida Baramaya) – Ponce Oeste | Southern terminus of Interstate PR1 and PR-52. Splits into PR-2. PR-2 exit 224. |
| Ponce | Playa | 105.5 | 65.6 | Ponce Toll Plaza | Ponce Toll Plaza | Ponce Toll Plaza |
| Ponce | Playa | 104.9 | 65.2 | 104 | PR-12 (Avenida Rafael Cordero Santiago) – Ponce Centro, Plaza del Caribe, Ponce Playa, Zona Portuaria | Signed as exits 104A (north) and 104B (south) |
| Ponce | Vayas | 100.9– 100.8 | 62.7– 62.6 | 101 | PR-1 – Ponce Centro, Mercedita | Signed as exits 101A (west) and 101B (east) |
| Ponce | Sabanetas | 98.0 | 60.9 | 98 | PR-10 – Ponce Norte, Adjuntas, Mercedita Airport | Signed as exits 98A (north) and 98B (south), access to San Lucas Hospital |
| Ponce | Coto Laurel | 95.5 | 59.3 | 95 | PR-506 – Coto Laurel | |
| Juana Díaz | Sabana Llana | 93.8 | 58.3 | Juana Díaz Oeste Toll Plaza (toll northbound only) | Juana Díaz Oeste Toll Plaza (toll northbound only) | Juana Díaz Oeste Toll Plaza (toll northbound only) |
| Juana Díaz | Amuelas | 91.2 | 56.7 | 91 | PR-149 (Bulevar Carlos Bernier Rodríguez) – Juana Díaz, Villalba, Fort Allen | |
| Juana Díaz | Río Cañas Abajo | 85.6 | 53.2 | Juana Díaz Este Toll Plaza (toll southbound only) | Juana Díaz Este Toll Plaza (toll southbound only) | Juana Díaz Este Toll Plaza (toll southbound only) |
| Santa Isabel | Descalabrado | 81.4 | 50.6 | 80 | PR-536 – Descalabrado, Los Llanos | Southbound exit and northbound entrance |
| Santa Isabel | Descalabrado–Felicia 2 line | 77.7 | 48.3 | 77 | PR-545 – Gabia | |
| Santa Isabel | Felicia 2 | 77.0– 76.9 | 47.8– 47.8 | 76 | PR-153 – Santa Isabel, Coamo | |
| Salinas | Lapa | 66.2 | 41.1 | 65 | PR-1 – Salinas, Campamento Santiago | Toll on northbound off-ramp and southbound on-ramp |
| Salinas | Lapa | 61.5 | 38.2 | 61 | PR-53 east (Autopista José M. Dávila Monsanto) – Guayama | The northbound exit into the southwestern terminus of PR-53. |
| Salinas | Lapa | 60.8 | 37.8 | 60 | PR-53 east (Autopista José M. Dávila Monsanto) – Guayama | Directional T interchange; The left southbound exit into the southwestern terminus of PR-53 |
| Salinas | Lapa | 57.9 | 36.0 | Salinas Toll Plaza (toll northbound only) | Salinas Toll Plaza (toll northbound only) | Salinas Toll Plaza (toll northbound only) |
| Salinas | Lapa | 57.6– 57.5 | 35.8– 35.7 | 58 | PR-1 / PR-712 – Albergue Olímpico | Access via PR-1 / PR-712 |
| Salinas | Palmas–Lapa line | 49.2 | 30.6 | — | Rest Area | Northbound exit has access to PR-714. |
| Cayey | Monte Llano | 38.8 | 24.1 | 39 | To PR-1 – Cayey, Aibonito, Cidra | Access to Centro Médico Menonita de Cayey |
| Cayey | Beatriz | 32.2 | 20.0 | 32 | PR-184 to PR-1 – Cidra, Guavate, Cayey Este | This exit is just a few feet away from the border of Cidra and Cayey |
| Caguas | Turabo | 23.5 | 14.6 | Caguas Sur Toll Plaza (toll southbound only) | Caguas Sur Toll Plaza (toll southbound only) | Caguas Sur Toll Plaza (toll southbound only) |
| Caguas | Turabo | 23.1 | 14.4 | 23 | To PR-1 – Caguas Sur, Borinquen | |
| Caguas | Turabo–Cañaboncito line | 21.4 | 13.3 | 21 | PR-172 (Avenida Pino) – Caguas Sur, Cidra, Certenejas | The direct exit to Menonita Caguas Regional Hospital and Plaza del Carmen Mall |
| Caguas | Cañaboncito | 20.5– 20.4 | 12.7– 12.7 | 20 | Avenida Federico Degetau (PR-34) | Unsigned |
| Caguas | Caguas barrio-pueblo | 19.3 | 12.0 | 19 | PR-156 – Aguas Buenas, Caguas | |
| Caguas | Bairoa | 18.4 | 11.4 | 18 | PR-196 (Avenida José Garrido) – Bairoa, Valle Tolima | The direct exit to Las Catalinas Mall. |
| Caguas | Bairoa | 16.1 | 10.0 | 15B | PR-1 south / PR-30 east (Expreso Cruz Ortiz Stella) – Caguas, Humacao, Gurabo | The exit from the southbound direction signed as Exit 14. |
| Caguas | Bairoa | 15.8 | 9.8 | 15A | PR-1 north – San Juan, Guaynabo, Río Cañas | The exit from the southbound direction signed as Exit 15. |
| Caguas | Bairoa | 15.5 | 9.6 | 15 | PR-1 north – San Juan, Guaynabo, Río Cañas | The exits from the northbound direction signed as 15A (North) and 15B (South). |
| Caguas | Río Cañas | 14.3– 14.2 | 8.9– 8.8 | Caguas Norte Toll Plaza (toll northbound only) | Caguas Norte Toll Plaza (toll northbound only) | Caguas Norte Toll Plaza (toll northbound only) |
| Caguas | Río Cañas | 14.2 | 8.8 | 14 | PR-1 south / PR-30 east (Expreso Cruz Ortiz Stella) – Caguas, Humacao | Southbound exit |
| Trujillo Alto | No major junctions | No major junctions | No major junctions | No major junctions | No major junctions | No major junctions |
| San Juan | Caimito | 4.1 | 2.5 | 4 | PR-Avenida Montehiedra / PR-Camino Los Romero – Caimito | Toll on northbound on-ramp; signed as exits 4A and 4B southbound |
| San Juan | Monacillo | 2.4 | 1.5 | 2 | PR-199 (Avenida Doña Felisa Rincón de Gautier) – Guaynabo, Trujillo Alto, Cupey | |
| San Juan | Monacillo Urbano | 0.9– 0.8 | 0.56– 0.50 | 1 | PR-177 (Avenida Lomas Verdes) – Guaynabo, Bayamón, Cupey | Southbound exits signed as 1A (west) and 1B (east) |
| San Juan | Monacillo Urbano | 0.3 | 0.19 | 0B | PR-1 north – Carolina, Río Piedras, Trujillo Alto | No northbound access to PR-1 south. |
| San Juan | Monacillo Urbano | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0A | PR-18 north (PRI-1 / Expreso Las Américas) – San Juan, Bayamón, Hato Rey | Northern terminus of PR-52; PRI-1 continues northbound via PR-18. Access to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport and hospitals. |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Incomplete access Tolled Route transition |||||||