Puerto Rico Highway 163

{{Short description|Highway in Puerto Rico}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}} {{Infobox road |state = PR |type = PR |route = 163 |alternate_name = |map = Mapa de la carretera PR-163 en Ponce, Puerto Rico (M163).svg |length_km = 4.5 |length_ref = <ref name="Google PR-163"/> |direction_a = West |terminus_a = {{jct|state=PR|Urban|500}} in Canas Urbano |junction = * {{jct|state=PR|Urban|2R}} in Canas Urbano * {{jct|state=PR|Urban|123}} in Canas Urbano * {{jct|state=PR|PR|12}} in San Antón |direction_b = East |terminus_b = {{jct|state=PR|Urban|2}} in San Antón |established = 1960<ref name="Historia Moderna">Carmelo Rosario Natal. ''Ponce En Su Historia Moderna: 1945-2002.'' Published by Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo of the Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 2003.</ref>{{rp|52}} |municipalities = Ponce |previous_type = Sec |previous_route = 162 |next_type = Sec |next_route = 164 }}

'''Puerto Rico Highway 163''' ('''PR-163''') is a major two-way thoroughfare in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The road has both of its termini as well as all of its length entirely within the Ponce city limits. The road runs east to west from its eastern terminus at PR-2 in Barrio San Antón to its western terminus at PR-500 in Barrio Canas. The road has a length of 4.8 kilometers.<ref name="DTOP Transit Data">{{cite web |title=Tránsito Promedio Diario (AADT) |url=http://act.dtop.pr.gov/index.php/download/traffic-data-report-2000-2009/?wpdmdl=528 |website=Transit Data (Datos de Transito) |publisher=DTOP PR |page=86 |language=es |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401220153/http://act.dtop.pr.gov/index.php/download/traffic-data-report-2000-2009/?wpdmdl=528 |archive-date=April 1, 2019}}</ref> Most of the road runs as part of Avenida Las Américas.

==Route description== The two-way roadway is 4.8 kilometers long, starts at PR-2 in Barrio San Antón and runs westward. The road is named "Avenida Julio Enrique Monagas" from kilometer 0.0 at PR-2, in the western end of Barrio San Antón, to kilometer 0.7 in central Barrio San Antón, where it then starts to run over Avenida Las Américas. It then runs its next 4.1 kilometers over Avenida Las Américas until its western terminus at its junction with PR-500 in Barrio Canas. The road's run on Avenida Julio Enrique Monagas is a divided 4-lane roadway; its run over Avenida Las Américas is as a divided 6-lane roadway. Its western terminus with PR-500 is near Puente San Antonio.<ref name="Historia Moderna"/>{{rp|251}}

Starting at PR-2 in Barrio San Antón, PR-163 runs westerly. From there, the road's first major intersection is at kilometer 0.7 with Avenida Las Américas. Heading west, PR-163's next major intersection is with Avenida Santiago de los Caballeros, also known as "Avenida Malecón" (PR-12). Continuing west from PR-12, the road crosses over Río Portugués before passing by Hospital Metropolitano Dr. Pila. It then intersects with Avenida Hostos (PR-123) in Barrio Canas, after which it passes by Museo de Arte de Ponce on the right<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.puertorico.com/museums/ponce-art-museum/ |work= Puerto Rico Channel |title= Exceptional Works at Ponce Museum of Art |publisher= NewMedia Holdings |access-date= 16 June 2012 }}</ref> and Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico,<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.periodicolaperla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1115:a-internacionalizar-su-matricula-la-escuela-de-arquitectura&catid=81:locales&Itemid=198 |work= Periodico La Perla: El Periodico de Ponce y la Region Sur de Puerto Rico. |title= La Escuela de Arquitectura: Coquetea con la Internacionalización |language= es |first= Jason |last= Rodríguez Grafal |edition= Electronic |at= Noticia Locales section |date= 5 March 2010 |location= Ponce, Puerto Rico |access-date= 5 March 2010}}</ref> on the left. Its next major intersection is with PR-2R (''Ramal PR-2'') at Secretaría de Recreación y Deportes Francisco "Pancho" Coimbre, near Francisco Montaner Stadium and Juan Pachín Vicéns Auditorium. About 1 kilometer after this, the road comes to its end at its junction with PR-500 in Barrio Canas.

<gallery mode=packed heights=150px> PR-163, Avenida Las Americas, eastbound, in Barrio Canas Urbano, Ponce, PR (IMG 2733).jpg|PR-163 looking east near PR-2R in Barrio Canas Urbano, Ponce, Puerto Rico

The Dr. Pila Hospital on Avenida Las Americas (PR-163) looking NE in Barrio Canas Urbano, Ponce, Puerto Rico (IMG 2739).jpg|Hospital Dr. Pila (now, Hospital Metropolitano Dr. Pila) on the north side of Avenida Las Américas (PR-163) looking northeast, in Barrio Canas Urbano </gallery>

===Characteristics=== The less transited western section of this road experiences an hourly traffic flow upwards of 2400 vehicles.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.elsuralavista.com/periodico/?p=41025 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120312213642/http://www.elsuralavista.com/periodico/?p=41025 |url-status= usurped |archive-date= 12 March 2012 |title= Repavimentarán tramo de la Avenida Las Américas en Ponce |date= 12 July 2011 |work= El Sur a la Vista |location= Ponce, Puerto Rico |access-date= 13 July 2011}}</ref> On the westernmost end of the road, Puente San Antonio connects the road with PR-9, also called Avenida Baramaya.<ref name="Historia Moderna"/>{{rp|251}}

==Major intersections== {{PRinttop|municipality=Ponce|length_ref=<ref name="Google PR-163">{{google maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/17.9994519,-66.5991774/18.0078442,-66.6388902/@18.0039071,-66.6278102,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m9!4m8!1m5!3m4!1m2!1d-66.6176057!2d18.0036027!3s0x8c1cd58ab5042ee1:0xc3ce2444df288fae!1m0!3e0|title=PR-163|access-date=March 2, 2020}}</ref>}} <gallery class=center> Letrero en PR-12, viajando al norte, anunciando salida a Av. Las Américas, Bo. San Antón, Ponce, PR (DSC04206).jpg|PR-12 north near its exit to PR-163 (Avenida Las Américas)

Carretera PR-123, intersección con la carretera PR-163, Ponce, Puerto Rico.jpg|PR-123 north approaching PR-163 (Avenida Las Américas) junction

Av. Las Américas (PR-163) y Av. Eduardo Ruberté (PR-585), Bo. Canas Urbano, Ponce, PR, mirando al noreste (DSC04249).jpg|Avenida Eduardo Ruberté Bisó at PR-163 (Avenida Las Américas) junction </gallery>  {{PRint |location=Canas Urbano |lspan=5 |km=4.5 |road={{jct|state=PR|Urban|500}} |notes=Western terminus of PR-163 }} {{PRint |km=3.8 |road=Avenida Eduardo Ruberté Bisó |notes= }} {{PRint |km=3.3 |road={{jct|state=PR|Urban|2R|name1=}} |notes= }} {{PRint |km=2.5 |road=Avenida Luis Muñoz Rivera / Calle Capitán Correa |notes= }} {{PRint |km=1.6 |road={{jct|state=PR|Urban|123|name1=|location1=Ponce Centro|location2=Ponce Playa}} |notes= }} {{PRint |location=San Antón |ctdab=Ponce |lspan=3 |km=0.85 |km2=0.75 |road={{jct|state=PR|PR|12|name1=|location1=Ponce Playa|city2=Mayagüez|city3=Juana Díaz}} |notes=Diamond interchange }} {{PRint |km=0.65 |road=Avenida Las Américas / Avenida Julio Enrique Monagas / Calle Marzo Cabrera |type=trans |notes=Eastern terminus of PR-163 through Bulevar Luis A. Ferré (Avenida Las Américas) and western terminus of PR-163 through Avenida Julio Enrique Monagas }} {{PRint |km=0.0 |road={{jct|state=PR|Urban|2|name1=}} |notes=Eastern terminus of PR-163 }} {{jctbtm|keys=trans}}

==See also== {{Portal|Puerto Rico|U.S. Roads}} * List of highways in Ponce, Puerto Rico * List of streets in Ponce, Puerto Rico

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.prfrogui.com/home/mapasPR3.htm Historia de las Carreteras de Puerto Rico.] {{in lang|es}} * {{cite journal |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=kFEAAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA2-PA300 |title= Roads in Porto Rico |first= Manuel Victor |last= Domenech |journal= The Overland Monthly |volume= 73 |issue= 4 |date=April 1919 |page= 321}} * [http://www.dtop.gov.pr/carretera/det_content.asp?cn_id=126 Guía de Carreteras Principales, Expresos y Autopistas] {{in lang|es}}

163 Category:Roads in Ponce, Puerto Rico