The Potholes Are Back
After an absence of almost three years and
shortly after the current government and ministra de
Obras Pública y Transportes (MOPT), Karla
González, took office, the number of potholes
on the roads in Costa Rica began to dwindle.
Work crews could be seen all over filling in
potholes. MOPT crews were out daily, choking
traffic in some areas, to vehemently rid the
roads of all types, shapes and sizes of
potholes.
One of the more important roads in Costa
Rica, the Interamericana Norte (San José to
Peñas Blancas - border with Nicaragua), for
the first time in years could be driven
without having to worry about dodging
potholes.
But, that is not the case any longer.
During the past week Inside Costa Rica
counted more than two dozen "major" potholes
on the most travelled section of the highway
- San José to Puntarenas - and dozens more
of minor potholes of sorts of shapes and
sizes.
Major potholes are described as potholes
large enough and deep enough to swallow the
entire tire of a passenger vehicle.
The Bernardo Soto section of the
Interamericana, from the San José
international airport to San Ramón, is a
complete driver's nightmare.
Vehicles along the route have to constantly
swerve to avoid potholes. Along the radial
between the west side of the airport and
Manolo's turn off, potholes can be found on
all four lanes of the road.
There was a time, not long ago, that the "huecos"
were a thing of the past on the
Interamericana. Ministra González has been
adamant that during her administration the
nation's deteriorated roads from the lack of
maintenance, for one or two decades in some
cases, would get proper attention.
And such was the case. But no longer.
It appears now that Ms. González is on her
way out, her post ends with the change of
the guard on May 1, she has focused her
attention on the nation's bridges, like the
famous "platina" bridge over the Virilla
river on the autopista General Cañas, which
has been left be after several failed
attempts to repair it.
Drivers continually have to slow down on the
westbound lanes of the General Cañas to
avoid thumping the 10 centimetre gap between
the bridge spans.
Alejandro Molina, director of the Consejo
Nacional de Vialidad (Conavi), admits that
the government does not have the money to
fix the roads.
Molina said that the ministerio de Hacienda
(Finance ministry) is sitting on requests
for additional funds to give the roads and
bridges necessary attention.
Ministra González was candid that most of
the budget has been used up in work on the
Alajuelita rotonda reconstruction, the
widening of the road in Sabana Sur known as
MAG-Universal, the Alajuelita-Sabana road,
the road between Rincón-Puerto Jiménez and
the highway to San Carlos.
The Interamerican norte continues with
major problems in construction, full of
potholes and washed out ditches. Photo
was taken on Monday, October 19, 2009.
Westbound traffic has to move through a
major dip in the road that the MOPT has
failed to repair over the years. The only
change in the last two years, is that the
gulley is now paved. |
|
|
Click here to get your
"I survived
the potholes
of Costa
Rica"
T-Shirt!
|
