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San José - Caldera Highway One Step Closer to Reality
Inside Costa Rica October 5, 2007

The long awaited road to Caldera may soon be a reality, following an agreement between the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) and the contractor, Autopistas del Sol, where the MOPT has agreed to pay the additional us$72 million dollars for the completion of the road.

According to MOPT minister, Karla González, the original contract signed six years ago was for us$158 million dollars and the additional payment is to cover the difference of the us$230 million dollars that it will cost to today to complete the 75 kilometre stretch of road.

The minister explained that the high costs is due to accumulated inflation and the rise in cost of certain construction materials, like steel and asphalt.

In addition, the revised contracts adds new components, mainly security items like added illumination and signalization, as well as better design of gullies, drainage and better pavement, that was not part of the original contract.

The MOPT also agreed to extend the completion term of the project from the original 24 months of start of construction to 30 months.

The MOPT agreed to the added costs and changes mainly based on a study by the Banco Centroamericano de Intregación Economica (BCIE) and the Caja de Madrid - the financiers for the project - that called for the additional items and costs.

The "addendum" as the changes are known have been signed by both parties and sent to the Contraloría General de la República (Comptroller's office) for approval, which is expected in the next 30 days.

Once the changes have been approved by the Contraloría, construction will start immediately, according to González, who added that the contractor is committed to starting the project as soon as the approval is obtained.

The San José - Caldera highway has been in the planning, design and construction stage for some 30 years, with work starting and stopping over the last several years.

The road is important because it would greatly reduce travel time between San José and the Pacific coast from the current 2 hours to some 45 minutes, and reduce travel time to tourist hotspots like Playa Jacó and Quepos/Manuel Antonio.

The road will also reduce traffic on the Interamericana highway and the dangerous route that passes through El Monte Aguacate, as it takes traffic from San José via Santa Ana and Cuidad Colon.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

No it will not happen word on the calle is that it will be called Big Dig 2 because it will get started but never finished so grab an imperial and be happy ok dont be happy just keep on being pissed off allright i have had enough of your shit be happy

I wonder if completion of the highway is being propelled by the CAFTA debate etc.

Also, I've often wondered how the new Wal*Mart would get its mountain of Chinese goods from the Pacific port to San Jose without a proper highway.

Personally, I'm hopeful. On the other hand, poor Manuel Antonio... the estruction of the natural beauty of the area will I fear, be hastened by the increased traffic. When I visited there two years ago, the lack of natural sounds was depressing. Instead of monkeys and macaws, I was hearing jackhammers and saws.

What do you think, Irish? Is this renewed vigor for the Caldera-SJ Highway project being propelled by big money and the desire to promote CAFTA? Or is it simple economics, Wal*Mart and the like?

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

After visiting Orotina several times a few years ago I would be interested to see what it does to this community. The Tico I stayed with scared me driving the old route, but he knew it well. There were a couple of touristic places on the highway but I was regularly the only gringo present almost everywhere we went. That will probably change and prices will go up accordingly.