Road To Caldera Gets
Green Light,
Construction Begins
Today
After almost 30 years,
the road to Caldera may
soon become a reality as
the Consejo Nacional de
Concesiones (CNC) gave
the road builder the
green light to begin
work on the new road to
the Pacific coast.
Luis Diego Vargas,
viceministro de
Concesiones, confirmed
yesterday that beginning
today, January 9, the
Autopistas del Sol
consortium has 30 months
to finish the work and
hand over the new road.
Vargas added that in the
last several days heavy
machinery began work in
the areas of Cuidad
Colòn and Orotina.
Karla González, ministra
de Transportes and
president of the CNC,
added that all is set
for the commencement of
construction, including
the required permits by
the Ministerio del
Ambiente (Environment
ministry) to remove
rocks for the
construction.
The deal between
Autopistas and the Banco
Centroamericano de
Integración Económica (BCIE)
and the Caja de Madrid
to finance the deal was
signed and sealed on
December 21. The cost of
the project is us$230
million dollars.
The new road includes
new construction and the
expansion of the
existing portions along
the 77 kilometres
between Santa Ana,
Cuidad Colón, Atenas,
Orotina and end at
Caldera.
The road has been in the
planning and
construction stage for
the last 30 years. With
the start of the final
construction starting
today, the road will
become a reality by
2010.
The Spanish, Portuguese
and Costa Rican
consortium will charge a
¢1.350 colones (us$2.70)
toll for the use of the
road that will run from
the Gimnasio Nacional
(in San José) and
Caldera.
The total time for the
trip will be about 45
minutes. Currently it
takes more than 90
minutes to get to
Caldera by way of the
Monte de Aguacate or the
Interamericana.
As part of the new road
construction, the
autopista Próspero
Fernández - Escazú to
Santa Ana - will be
widened to six lanes
from the current four.
Construction on the
widening will begin in
May.
Minister González said
that before the widening
can occur, her ministry
has to first approve an
alternate route for
traffic through the
area. |
|
