First Phase Of The
Caldera Highway To Be Inaugurated Next Week
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First Phase Of
The Caldera Highway To Be Inaugurated Next
Week
After some 30 years in the making, the road
to Caldera that will take minutes to travel
between San José and the Pacific port, is
finally taking shape and the first phase of
the highway will be inaugurated by the
current ministra de Transportes, Karla
González.
The new road, as it is being called, starts
at the Ginmasio Nacional at the east end of
the Sabana, passing through Escazu and Santa
Ana and then winds through the mountains,
and ending up at the port of Caldera.
Travelling to Caldera from San José today
takes about 2 hours on the Interamericana
Norte. On the new San José - Caldera route
travel will be only 45 minutes. That means
that travel to beach town lik Jaco and
Quepos/Manuel Antonio is also reduced in
greatly, 45 minutes to Jaco and less than 2
hours to Quepos.
The first phase of the highway to be
inaugurated next week runs between the
Sabana and Santa Ana, known as the autopista
Prospero Fernandez, which has been
resurfaced, bridges widened and the illegal
accesses along the highway closed off. Also,
several pedestrian overpasses have been
added along the route, as well as bus bays
at bus stops.
The second phase that is expected to be
finished by December weaves through the
mountains connecting towns like La Guacima,
Turrucares, Siquiares and Orotina.
The second phase is really the only brand
new portion of the San José - Caldera
highway. Machinery and work crews have been
busy, on and off, for years moving earth and
building the 14 bridges along that section
of the route.
The section will also have a "Centro de
Control de Operaciones" (Operations Centre)
located in the area of the Rio Grande, which
will house ambulance, tow trucks, fire
fighting equipment and a new Policía de
Transito (traffic police) station.
The new highway will also include a rest
stop and emergency telephones, a new concept
in Costa Rica.
The third phase is between Orotina and
Caldera, which route is being rebuild to
accommodate the new highway. Work on that
section is being completed, as the route
becomes a four lane road from two and the
bridges being widened and reinforced. The
third phase is expected to be finished by
early 2010.
Once finished, the San José - Caldera road
will be a marvel for tourism and locals.
However, it won't be cheap.
At Escazu there will be 29 toll booths (14
each way). Toll booths are also located in
Santa Ana (Piedades) as well as several
other points on the way to and from Caldera.
The cost of a complete trip between San Jose
and Caledera will cost ¢1.900, each way.
Buses will pay ¢3.790 and trucks of two or
three axles, ¢4.740 and five axles ¢11.990.
The San José - Caldera highway is being
constructed and will be operated and
maintained by the consortium, Autopistas del
Sol, under concession from the Ministerio de
Obtas Publicas y Transportes.
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