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COSTA RICA |
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10 Ticking
Time Bombs Await Us In Costa Rica, Report
Says
A recent study says that at least 10 of the
1.330 bridges that need urgent repairs are a
ticking time bomb, waiting to be the next
tragedy for Costa Ricans to mourn. The first
of the time bombs "exploded" last Thursday
killing five people and injuring 33. How
many more have to die before anything is
done, Costa Ricans ask themselves, turning
to their leaders for answers.
In that accident, a public transportation
bus loaded 38 people on board crossed the
cable suspension bridge over the río Grande
de Tárcoles (Tárcoles river) in Turrubares,
when one or more of the cables snapped, the
bus plunging into the raging river below.
The death toll from the accident could have
been even worse if the rainy season
conditions had been normal, where rain water
would have meant higher water levels and
stronger currents. The low rainy season has
kept the river calm this year.
For unknown reasons the driver did not, as
custom, let off passengers before entering
the bridge, where the weight of the bus and
unbeknownst to the driver, an accident the
previous day had weakened the structure,
along with the age and fatigue of the
structure, all contributing to the fatal
accident.
A study by the Agencia de Cooperación de
Japón and Oriental Consultants Co., says
that 1.330 bridges around the country suffer
from sever deterioration due to earthquakes,
high water levels in the rivers, traffic
volume, lack of maintenance and just being
plain old.
The study shows that at least 10 of the
structures are ready to snap and become the
headline at any moment.
The Japanese analysis is clear "the
deficiency in maintenance has allowed the
damage levels to reach critical proportion".
The Japanese study coincide with a study by
the Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y
Arquitectos (CFIA) and the Laboratorio
Nacional de Materiales y Medidas
Estructurales (Lanamme) of the Universidad
de Costa Rica (UCR).
Olman Vargas, president of the CFIA, has
called for a national emergency for the
bridge situation. However, legally that is
no easy task for the government, as there is
no precedent or sufficient legal basis for
such an action, experts say. At best, the
government would have to issue a specific
decree for each bridge.
The CFIA report says that many of the
bridges cause severe problems in their
expansion joints, similar to the infamous "platina"
bridge, the bridge over the Virilla bridge
on the autopista General Cañas, that after
three major attempts to repair the bridge,
including shutting down the major highway
completely for days, failed to close the gap
between the parts of the bridge.
The 44 year old bridge today continues with
the 4 inch gap on the westbound lanes
causing a slowdown of traffic.
During a visit to the Turrubares bridge
disaster area on Saturday, Costa Rican
president, Oscar Arias, defended his
transport minister and said that during his
term in office some 40 bridges have been
repaired and the investment in road
infrastructure has been multiplied by five
times.
Many have been calling for the resignation
of the ministra de Obras Públicas y
Transportes, Karal González, who for many
has not been doing enough. However, ministra
González, has been perhaps one of the most
active and proactive ministers in the last
several decades.
The lack of proper maintenance of the road
system has been to a lack of financial
resources and willpower of the past
governments to take action. Before González
took office, the last time any serious money
was put into maintaining and improving the
roads infrastructure was during the
Rodriguez (1998-2002) administration and
then it was mainly superficial.
The reconstruction of the bridge downed on
Thursday will be part of the us$15 million
dollars that president Arias announced on
Saturday that will be earmarked by the
government.
However, Thursday's tragedy could have been
avoided if transport officials had not been
bogged down in bureaucracy. It appears that
the materials for the repair of the
Turrubares bridge have been sitting in a
Tibás work yard and the plans in waiting
since 2002.
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