Ombudswoman Siding With Santa Ana
Residents On Flaws Caldera Highway
The Defensora de los Habitantes
(Ombudswoman), Lisbeth Quesada,
assured on Thursday that the tolls
at Piedades de Santa Ana on the
autopista Fernando Prospero (road to
Caldera) is a tax in disguise that
is to the benefit of private company
at the detriment of the most humble
of people.
Quesada is not against the paying of
tolls, saying tolls are important,
but the increase of the toll on the
highway from 75 colones to 460
colones, each way, is outrageous for
a highway that is the same highway
that was before the facelift.
"The toll is a tax in disguise that
does not got to the state, but
rather to a private company for the
next 25 years and without an
explanation as to why it is 25 and
not 20 or 18 or 10 years", said
Quesada.
The Ombudswoman took a trip on the
San Jose to Santa Ana highway before
making her comments following the
demand by areas residents made on
Monday morning during a protest that
blocked the highway at Santa Ana.
Quesada explained that there many
flaws surrounding the reconstruction
of the highway, like the lack of
shoulders, poor or inadequate bus
stops and many other items and is
waiting a response by the Ministra
de Transportes, Karla González, who
so far has only promised to improve
the alternate roads to and from
Santa Ana to Cuiad Colon.
The residents have complained that
the road concessionaire, Autopistas
del Sol, has not concerned itself
with the environment and the
negative effect on residents and
communities.
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