Costa Rica Blog

Hombres Trabajando - Men Working - Highways in Costa Rica

Posted by Steve Linder on Mon, Dec, 19, 2011

No matter where you look right now in Costa Rica it seems that there's work being done on the highways.  Long noted for having some of the worst roads in the Americas, Costa Rica has been working very hard to change its reputation for having bad roads.  On my recent trip hosting discovery tours in early December I had some time on my hands and did some highway touring and here's my report.  Background information:  MOPT is the name of the agency responsible for the roads in Costa Rica and there is both a website and phone number you can call to check on daily road closures, delays, etc. 

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Tags: Panama, Nicaragua, Caldera Highway, San Jose Puntarenas highway, Autopista del sol, Costanera Highway, Cerro de la Muerte, Caldera

The new Autopista Del Sol has some Growing Pains

Posted by Steve Linder on Fri, Jun, 25, 2010

Last Sunday the new toll road from San Jose to the west coast was closed shortly before noon due to a number of issues with rocks in the road from the heavy rains.  Although the company responsible for building the road, Autopista Del Sol, claims the road is fine, they have agreed to temporarily close one section of the road, between Orotina and Atenas, totaling about 12 miles.  The missing section means you have to use the old "aguacate" highway through a stretch through the mountains.  Though we have used this road for many years to reach our properties, our Discovery tour groups would prefer using the new highway rather than winding through the mountainous stretch we are again traveling, adding 45 minutes to our travel time.   

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Tags: Costa Rica real estate, Caldera Highway, Autopista del sol, Laura Chinchilla

The final Section of The Caldera - San Jose, Costa Rica Highway is now open!

Posted by Steve Linder on Wed, Jan, 27, 2010

Dreams of Highways - What was once a dream in the eyes of the administration of Rodrigo Carazo Odio, President of Costa Rica back in 1979 when the first plans for the Caldera Highway were conceived, is soon to become reality.  Over 30 years ago the Caldera Highway project was initially planned.  Work did not begin on the project for many more years, grinding to a halt about 10 years ago after it was discovered that the government had not yet expropriated all the land needed to build the road.  About three years ago, President Oscar Arias got the project back on track. 

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Tags: Caldera Highway, San Jose Puntarenas highway, Autopista del sol, Transportation, Costa Rica Infrastructure, Oscar Arias, Costa Rica highway