The tolls on the brand-new highway San Jose – Caldera will be going down as of April 1, 2010.
The new rates were published by the road concessionaire, Autopistas del Sol, in Friday's La Nacion.
The new toll charges for passenger vehicles and motorcycles at Escazú will come down to ¢300 (currently ¢320); ¢460 (currently ¢490) at San Rafael (La Guacima); ¢610 (currently ¢640) at Atenas; and ¢460 (currently ¢480) at Pozón. The new total toll charge will be ¢1.830 (currently ¢1.930).
Under the concession contract, Autopistas del Sol can adjust the toll charges quarterly. The reduction was caused by the lower dollar exchange rate.
It appears that even lawmakers have finally realized what they’ve done. Many of them are actually supporting the delay of the recently approved new traffic law.
The new traffic law is called "draconian" by everyone who read the document. It introduces many requirements that the majority of the drivers will not be able to fulfil in time. It also increases the fines to the ridiculous level: no seat belt-$700 (more than the average MONTHLY salary); burnt light bulb – $300 (why or why?? things do happen, where on earth can you find a light bulb in the middle of the night?), the list goes on.
It is certain that the new law will only inspire more bribery. Read more »
As you already know, the Caribbean part of Costa Rica was severely flooded 3 times in the last 12 months. Many families lost their homes and clean up took months. Some roads are still impassable. Read more »
Several months ago HSBC started offering the “Quick Pass”, a previously unknown device (for Costa Rica) that would speed a driver through the toll stations of the updated highway from San Jose to the port of Caldera, saving 10 or more minutes at each passing. Read more »
A water line under the Heredia – La Uruca highway broke on Sunday, and as a result, a quickly formed giant hole cut off two lanes. The damaged road is south of the bridge over the Rio Virilla. Officials are asking drivers to avoid this very congested route.
Because of the urgency, the transport ministry is lending machinery to the Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados to aid in the repair of that massive hole that makes the commute even worse than usual.
For many decades, Costa Ricans as well as tourists had to choose between a road that was filled with potholes and horrible bridges and the long route through the Cerro de la Muerte, to get from San Jose to Dominical.
The 42 kilometre trip between Quepos and Dominical takes more than 2 hours now, that’s when the weather is perfect. You’re facing potholes the size of your car, bridges that move as your vehicle passes, lots of rock and flooding of some parts of the road to name a few. Read more »
6 separate loans that were approved as a package. $200 million are planned for the municipalities and the rest will go to the transport ministry for road projects, including work on the Interamerican highway.
The President of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias Sanchez, is relying on the loan to pay for many improvements in the national infrastructure.
Ruta (highway) 245 that runs along the east side of the Osa Peninsula just got a $30 million face lift. 8 bridges were constructed from scratch to make an all-weather road of the 21-mile stretch between Puerto Jimenez and Rincon south.
The improved highway is good for tourism. Now motorists can use it to reach roads that go to Parque Nacional Corcovado in dry or wet weather conditions.
The Ministerio de Obras Publicas y Transportes (MOPT) announced the road closures to complete work on the new route between La Sabana, the Hatillos and Escazu starting on Monday. The closure will begin south of the La Sabana park (Calle Morenos) to complete the road that will connect to Bello Horizonte de Escazu.
According to MOPT minister, the road work will be finished by August and it should ease the traffic on the entrance to Escazu. The minister also added that unfortunately not much can be done to avoid congestion during the construction.
In July of 2008, 2 decrees told that motorists could not enter the greater San Jose area one day a week, depending on their license plate number.
The first decree covered peak traffic hours only in the morning and evening. A later decree restricted the hours from 6 am to 7 pm.
The court made its decision on the fact that the executive branch has established sanctions for violating the decree, an area reserved for the Asamblea Legislativa, and that the decree restricted a fundamental liberty of free transit. The court also mentioned that the decree incorrectly enhanced the power of the Transit Police.
Though the court rejected the decree as of Friday it clearly said that there would be absolutely no refunds on tickets issued up to that date.
Autopista del Sol was authorized by the Consejo Nacional de Concesiones to begin collecting tolls on a newly renovated stretch of the Autopista Próspero Fernández between Parque La Sabana and Ciudad Colón. This is the first section of the highway that will go all the way to Caldera on the Pacific coast. Read more »
Year after year heavy rains hit the Provincia de Limon causing severe flooding.
Last week emergency officials have released a $5.25 million plan to tame the Sixaola, Chirripo, and Banano and rivers, that do most of the damage.
Retaining Chirripo will protect the important Ruta 32, which frequently is flooded, causing millions of dollars in damages to the tourist industry each and every year. Read more »
The price of gasoline dropped ¢39 last Friday.
As a result, some of the Shell gas stations have run out of gas!
Fabricio Pereira, general manager of Shell Costa Rica, explained that when price drops, the demand exceeds the capacity of storage reservoirs. Read more »
The residents of Santa Ana are very unhappy with what they believe is a disproportionately high toll amount.
Ombudsman’s office (The Defensoría de los Habitantes) said it has begun a investigation into tolls to be charged at the Santa Ana toll booths of the San Jose – Port Caldera highway. They will be paying twice more than they are paying now and it appears that the traffic congestion in the area will only get worse.
The residents are asking the Defensoría to propose to the Ministerio de Obras Publica y Transportes (MOPT) to provide a reduced toll for Santa Ana residents or to build a third lane across the entire highway as was originally announced.
The Ombudsman’s office has also opened a case file for the $35 million US dollar overspend of the highway.
Jonathan Samuel Erwin Tercotte was accused of driving at a high speed March 16 in Nuevo Arenal de Tilarán, Guanacaste. It appears that he was the first one to have been convicted under the new law.
Fortunately, the judge stipulated in the sentence that instead of going to prison the man could perform what amounts to community service.
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March 26, 2010 9:06 pm
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