Route 66 Puerto Rico; Express Lane to El Yunque and the East Coast

Yes, there is a Route 66 in Puerto Rico, and for anyone visiting El Yunque Rainforest or any of the following attractions in the eastern region;

• St Regis Bahia Resort
• Gran Melia Resort
• Wyndham Rio Mar Resort
• El Conquistador Resort or Las Casitas Village
• Canovanas Route 66 Outlet Mall (only pass 1 toll booth)
• Rio Grande
• Luquillo, Luquillo Beach, Luquillo Kiosks
• Fajardo
• Seven Seas Beach, Fajardo
• Culebra Ferry
• Vieques Ferry
• Laguna Grande Bio Bay
• Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve
• and more…

this is the road to take.

Depending on the time of the day, taking Route 66 will save you anywhere between 30 – 40 mins compared to taking the old PR RT 3 road.

The construction of Route 66 has taken a while with the current road completed in 2 phases:

Phase 1
The initial section of the road was opened in April 2006 and covered the section from Carolina (near the Plaza Carolina Shopping Center) and Canovanas and the Route 66 Outlet Mall.

Phase 2
The second phase opened in October 2012 and extended Route 66 to Rio Grande close to the St Regis Bahia Resort.

Future Extension of Route 66 in Puerto Rico.
A third phase of construction (if it takes place) would extend the road from Rio Grande to Fajardo.

The Cost
As Route 66 is a toll road the total cost from San Juan to Rio Grande is currently $2.50:
San Juan to Canovanas = $1.50
Canovanas to Rio Grande = $1.00

These toll booths are cashless and you will need AutoExpreso tag in your car, or MovilCash card in order to use the road.

NOTE: The section between Canovanas and rio Grande ONLY ACCEPTS the AuroExpreso tag. So if you only have a MovilCash Cards then you can only drive from San Juan to Canovanas using Route 66.

Most if not all car rentals in Puerto Rico will come with the Autoexpreso tag installed in the car. When you pick up your car rental, you will be given the option to include the Autoexpreso tag during your rental period. If you plan on using any of the toll roads in Puerto Rico then make sure you check the usage details of the autoexpreso tag with your rental company, as each company has different ways in which they implement the tag.

The Savings
As mentioned already taking Route 66 will save you upwards of 30 minutes or more depending on the time of day and where you are going.

For me, Route 66 is the only way to go, when heading to the outlet mall at Canovanas or areas east of the outlets.

Tips

• If you are looking for some tasty Puerto Rican food, stop at El Verde Restaurant in Rio Grande, immediately after Route 66 joins Route 3 (first set of traffic lights on RT 3). They server great BBQ Chicken, Pork dishes and traditional Puerto Rican Side Dishes at very reasonable prices.
• Have your camera ready and pull over to the hard shoulder. On clear days Route 66 gives you great views of El Yunque Rainforest especially El Yunque Peak and El Toro Peak.