Comments on: Road to Monteverde will be ready in 2016, according to MOPT

By: Frank Castle

Frank Castle — Tue, 22 Jul 2014 01:19:00 +0000

You are so right! I grew up in Southern California and saw the same thing.

I remember coming to Costa Rica the first time in 1989. It was so different then. The Jungle Train was still in operation between Limon and San Jose and it was a hoot to ride. Taking a bus from San Jose to Golfito was one crazy adventure because it was still so undeveloped. The route from Atenas beyond to the South Pacific coast on La Costera Sur was really crazy with what looked like bomb craters on that route along with the rickety bridges near Quepos. From Quepos south was what then seemed like a dusty washboard like road to sleepy towns like Dominical and those farther south. Roads that are too smooth and easy to drive make it too easy for the Developers to follow.

By: Connie Sandlin

Connie Sandlin — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 22:01:00 +0000

There goes the neighborhood.

By: expatin paradise

expatin paradise — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:46:00 +0000

What the average citizens of these scenic areas (Monteverde, beaches in Nicoya) don’t ever seem to understand is that their bad roads help to preserve the quiet and picturesque nature of their environments. Build a good road, and open the floodgates to heavy traffic and unbridled commercial development. I grew up in Florida and witnessed its conversion from mostly quiet small towns to overdeveloped eyesores all along the principal highways – the Ft Myers area exploded once I-75 was completed to connect to the east coast. It is already happening here – as soon as the highway was completed south of Jaco, mega-developments started south of Manuel Antonio. These road projects are great for developers and the tourism industry, but not so good for the other people who live in these areas.

As usual, people won’t know what they had until it has gone.