Costa Rica’s New Highway To Caldera – Will cause chaos in San Jose

Bridges and highway lanes will be demolished on the ring road (circunvalación) and the route to Escazú.

Construction of the road to Caldera will also affect traffic close to the capital. Construction work in San José will start in April 2008 and it will go on at least for a year.

The construction of the road to Caldera brings as a consequence the extension of several of the highway lanes to Escazú and the demolishing an old bridge over the Circunvalación road. This work is guaranteed to bring chaos and traffic jams close to the capital.

During that time, people will have to find alternate routes to drive to Escazú, Santa Ana or to the southern areas such as Hatillos, Alajuelita and San Sebastian.

For example, on the Próspero Fernández highway it will be necessary to expand the bridge on the Tiríbí River, at the entrance of San Rafael de Escazú, in order to make three lanes on each side of the bridge instead of two, as it is now.

By the time this construction takes place, the third lane in each direction will meet the bastions of an old bridge on the ring road route which goes over the Prospero Fernández highway. The construction company called Autopistas Del Sol will have to demolish the elevated pass bridge on the ring road and make it wider, said engineer Guillermo Ramírez, National Concessions Counsel.

Alvaro Borbón, an engineer, added that for April 2008, it is “indispensable” that the population is informed already now about alternate routes such as the old road to Escazú, (by Sabana and Anonos Bridge) to avoid traffic jams on the Próspero Fernández highway.

Karla Fernández, the Transport Minister admitted that these works will affect the drivers in the capital. However, she said that this is mandatory to modernize the infrastructure of the roads.

Four months before, in January 2008, work will be started with the beginning of the construction of the 39 kilometres piece of road between Ciudad Colón and Orotina. It will take 30 months until July, 2010, says the constructor Autopistas Del Sol. By then, the route between Orotina and Caldera must be ready.

The last problem that needed to be solved by Autopistas Del Sol was the increase of $72 million of the cost of this work, up to $230 millions. The Comptrollers accepted an addendum to the concession contract. Carlos Carajemada, Finance Administrative Director of the company assured that negotiations with the banks are “very advanced” and the contracts will be signed before January, when the work begins.

Carlos Arrea, company’s spokesman, confirmed last night that the first work on the route Ciudad Colón-Orotina includes felling trees, drainages and land mowing.

The $230 millions for the highway will be financed by Caja Madrid and Central American Bank of Economic Integration (BCIE). Afterwards, Autopistas Del Sol will have 25 years and 6 months to recover the investment.

Carajemada made clear that the administration has still some pending matters to be solved before January 2008. They are about expropriations, but he did not say exactly in which areas. He also added that they are waiting for an answer from the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) that allows them to use the construction materials, such as stones and sand, from the same places where they are going to build.

Our thanks to Vanessa Loaiza N. and our friends at La Nación – Costa Rica’s largest Spanish circulation newspaper for their permission to summarize their articles in English.

[custom_script adID=97]

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.