San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero announced that construction has begun on the revitalization of Ponce de León Avenue in Río Piedras, backed by a $14.1 million investment. The project is part of a broader plan exceeding $50 million to rehabilitate the Gándara and Universidad avenues along with the Río Piedras segment of Ponce de León. The work will target both the historic Río Piedras center and the area facing the University of Puerto Rico's Río Piedras campus, including full sidewalk and pedestrian crossing rehabilitation, removal of physical barriers to comply with ADA accessibility requirements, and improvements to pedestrian mobility.
Officials say the goal is to recover underused spaces near the UPR campus and create safer, more inclusive, active environments that boost economic activity and community life. Romero said the project reflects the municipality's priority to responsibly manage resources for lasting improvements to residents' quality of life. Construction is expected to take about 12 months.
Of the $14,102,367 total, $10,570,367 comes from municipal ordinary funds, $3,025,750 from CDBG funds, and $506,250 covers professional services for design, oversight, and inspection.