Early in the 1970s, the Autoridad de Carreteras de Puerto Rico developed a 220-kilometer route along the Cordillera Central. The route was finished in 1974. According to the original plans, the route started at Cerro Las Mesas in Mayagüez, ran along the full length of the central mountains, including along parts of the length of the Sierra de Cayey to end at Cuchilla de Pandura, in Yabucoa. The development of the route included the building of overlooks, rest areas, and recreational facilities at a cost of $4 million. In 1975, it was estimated that the cost of the necessary facilities to complete the Route - but excluding roads already built - amounted to $20 million. National Geographic has called the route "an assemblage of 40-plus roads that cuts through the island's lush Cordillera Central."
Route description
As the Route is a two-way road, it can be traveled starting at either its western or its eastern termini. To travel the Route in a westerlydirection, the course of the road is reversed from what is given here. Starting from Mayagüez and ending in Maunabo, as of August 2010, the course of the Route is as follows: PR-105 Municipality of Mayagüez PR-339 Municipality of Mayagüez PR-119 Municipality of Mayagüez PR-106 Municipality of Mayagüez PR-106 Municipality of Las Marias PR-120 Municipality of Las Marias PR-120 Municipality of Maricao PR-120 Municipalities of Maricao and San Germán PR-120 Municipalities of Maricao and Sabana Grande PR-366 Municipalities of Maricao and Sabana Grande PR-365 Municipalities of Maricao and Yauco PR-105 Municipalities of Maricao and Yauco PR-128 Municipality of Maricao PR-128 Municipality of Lares PR-135 Municipality of Lares PR-135 Municipality of Adjuntas PR-525 Municipality of Adjuntas PR-518 Municipality of Adjuntas PR-123 Municipality of Adjuntas PR-143 Municipality of Adjuntas PR-143 Municipality of Ponce PR-143 Municipality of Jayuya PR-143 Municipality of Ponce PR-143 Municipality of Villalba PR-143 Municipality of Orocovis PR-143 Municipality of Coamo PR-143 Municipality of Barranquitas PR-723 Municipality of Barranquitas PR-7718 Municipality of Aibonito PR-7722 Municipality of Cayey PR-1 Municipality of Cayey PR-715 Municipality of Cayey PR-7737 Municipality of Cayey PR-741 Municipality of Cayey PR-7741 Municipality of Cayey PR-742 Municipality of Cayey PR-179 Municipality of Cayey PR-184 Municipality of Cayey PR-7740 Municipalities of San Lorenzo and Patillas PR-181 Municipality of San Lorenzo PR-182 Municipality of Yabucoa PR-901 Municipality of Yabucoa PR-3 Municipality of Yabucoa PR-3 Municipality of Maunabo Note: Whenever one of the roads of the Route is also the boundary between two municipalities, both municipalities are shown in the course of the Route above. For example, PR-120 Municipalities of Maricao and San Germán.
