Infrastructure Projects to Continue In Guanacaste
Jun 3, 2009
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica (InfoWebPress -Inside Costa Rica]The Ministry of Transportation and Public Infrastructure (MOPT) provided updates on a number projects currently being done in Guanacaste. For example, MOPT informed that improvement works to the 13.9 kilometers of road between the communities of 27 de Abril and Paraiso, in the canton of Santa Cruz, have been completed.
Once a gravel road, the two-lane route has been paved and now also has a bike path and sidewalks for the convenience and safety of pedestrians and bike riders, who are very common in this region. There is a guardrail separating the bike path from the main road to provide extra safety, while the sidewalks will be very beneficial for schoolchildren who walk this road to reach various schools in the area.
The road has been adequately marked, which is expected to provide even more safety to drivers, particularly at night and during times of heavy rain. Residents living alongside this road will also benefit from the paving, which will eliminate the dust clouds that were common during the long and dry Guanacaste summers. Finally, the new road is expected to significantly contribute to the region’s tourism industry.
Paving of the road had a cost of 4.97 billion colones ($8.8 million), including 690 million ($1.23 million) for construction of the bike path. Paving of the highway included installation of a 35-centimeter sub-foundation and 20-centimeter foundation to increase safety and durability. Sidewalks were built particularly in the community of Paraiso, with their respective curbs and gutters to drain stormwater adequately away from the road.
As part of efforts to make roads in Guanacaste safer, a company hired by the National Roadways Commission fell trees that were too close to roads and obstructed construction, in addition to being a risk to bicyclists and drivers.
Meanwhile, the contract to pave a 9-kilometer stretch of road of National Route 21, between Jicaral and Lepanto in the Nicoya Peninsula, has been awarded to the Hernan Solis Construction Company, for an amount of 5.3 billion colones ($9.4 million). The project also includes the construction of new bridges over the San Pedro and Tronconal creeks and the expansion of the bridge over the Lepanto River to two lanes, according to Transportation Vice Minister Pedro Castro.
Also completed has been the 21-kilometer section between Puerto Carrillo and Lajas. Castro said this project had a cost of 4.2 billion colones ($7.5 million). This road allows the connection of communities that are very important to the region’s agricultural and tourist economies, such as Estrada, San Miguel and El Jobo, also facilitating access to Playa Carrillo, Samara, Punta Islita and other coastal destinations.
Underway right now is the stretch of road between Tilaran and Libano. This project is key to facilitating transportation between Tilaran and Cañas, as drivers will be able to move between these two cities not only through Pueblo Nuevo and Los Angeles, but also via Libano. This road is 9.2 kilometers long and represents an investment of 2.4 billion colones ($4.2 million). Foundation material was installed recently, all earth movements have been made, and installation of box concrete culverts. Completion progress is estimated at 35 percent.
Other projects are in the design stage, including the 40-kilometer Samara-Nosara route. The cost of this project is estimated at $60 million, as it includes the construction of seven bridges. The blueprints for the 27 de Abril-Villa Real (25 kilometers, $9 million) are also being prepared. This project would complement the 27 de Abril-Paraiso, Santa Cruz-Tamarindo and Tamarindo-Paraiso of this road. Finally, the design for the 40-kilometer Santa Cruz-Santa Barbara road is being currently done; and preliminary drawings for the Sardinal-Potrero section (Monkey Trail), which connects to the Papagayo Gulf, are underway.
http://insidecostarica.com/dailynews/2009/june/03/cr06.htm