NEW PACIFIC HIGHWAY ROUTE HAS POTENTIAL START DATE
The long awaited construction of the San Jose-Caldera highway, a road that will provide a shorter route between San Jose and the Central Pacific, seems to have an April construction date on the horizon.
The majority of the project is being sponsored by the Banco CentroameriCano de Integracion Economica (BCIE) that is reported to be providing 80 percent, or $160 million, of the funds needed. The total cost of the project is estimated at $200 million. The bank plans to recoup its loan through toll fees of approimately $3.60 per vehicle using the new highway.
The 77-kilometer stretch has long been anticipated as a faster route between the two growing areas. It is epected that travel time could be reduced by an hour. Although construction plans are finally beginning to materialize, talks about this project have been ongoing for the last two decades.
Property disputes and legal matters have stalled the project in the past. Various stages, including bridge and road repairs have already been implemented over the years. The BCIE would like to evaluate monetary advances, completion dates, and potential obstacles before giving construction a green light.
Construction work will be the responsibility of the Autopistas del Sol Company. The company has said that all materials, including equipment, rock, and asphalt, are available and ready to be used.
One anticipated result of the new road will be its effect on the real estate market. Development in the Central Pacific is booming and inconsistent in its regulation, and its growth is seeing no anticipated ceiling. The highway will determine whether growth will be regulated or start to spiral out of control.
The first crews are epected to begin work in mid-April on a section between Ciudad Colon and San Jose. Construction of this section is planned in a multi-stage process that should take 2 years. The first stage will include improvements of existing roads, followed by the paving of the new highway, then improvements on the net section in a repeating process.
Road construction and development have been sore national topics. The tourism and real estate industries in particular have complained about the government's lack of initiative. The San Jose-Caldera highway will be closely watched as an example of how the government approaches new road infrastructure projects.
By Alex Lane - The Journal
|
