Alterra Partner Built Collapsed Tunnel
The Costa Rican chapter of Transparency International (TI) made public yesterday alleged complaints of corruption against the Bechtel Corporation (Bechtel Group), the largest engineering company in the United States, who also is the principal partner in Alterra, the corporation that has built and manages the Juan Santamaría International airport in San José.

Bechtel was the builder of the project known as "Big Dig", a project criticized by the Boston Globe and the New York Times for poor workmanship and quality of construction.

A section of the ceiling of the The Boston Tunnel collapsed earlier this week, killing a Costa Rican woman.

TI is questioning the relationship between Bechtel and Alterra and if the San José airport was built to lower standards due to that relationship.

Alterra, in an attempt to clear the air, said that there is no relationship between the controversy over the Boston project and the construction of the San José airport.

An Alterra press release said that the consortium that is currently contracted for the construction of the expansion of the San José airport is Bechtel-Edica and that all project designs have been done by professionals in Costa Rica, the same professionals who have worked on other major projects in Costa Rica.

Edica, a Costa Rican firm, has more than 40 years of experience in construction in Costa Rica, said the Alterra press release.

The press bulletin added that the designs and construction of the Juan Santamaría airport is bases on strict national and international regulations and Alterra has a group of select external professionals who review and verify the quality of work.