Permanent repairs to the Circunvalación will take six months; Bailey bridges to provide temporary relief

October 22^nd, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com) Permanent repairs to the Circunvalación, a major beltway around the capital city of San José where a group of Bailey bridges had to be removed last month as they were in danger of collapse, will take six months, according to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT).

The closure of the Circunvalación since September 3^rd has caused serious traffic problems in the city, so much so that the working hours of public employees were modified in an attempt to ease congestion.

The permanent repair will consist of the installation of two new bridges over the María Aguilar River, which was awarded to construction firm, Codocsa.  The work is scheduled to begin on November 18^th.

Ten companies had participated in bidding on the project.

Codocsa submitted the most expensive bid at ¢3.1 billion (~$6.3 million USD), ¢650 million more than competing firm, Hernan Solis.

Bailey bridges will provide temporary relief

Transport officials said that four Bailey bridges would be installed on November 16^th in order to partially re-open the Circunvalación while work on the permanent bridges is underway.