The works comprise the renovation of road surfaces, and construction of bridges and storm drains on major routes in the area.
From the press release by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport:
The Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) and the National Roads Authority (CONAVI) has intensified repair works on road surfaces and bridge building on major roads in the Southern Zone, where it has invested a total of ¢13.448 million ($ 27 million) from the Road Fund.
Next week work will begin on expanding the access road to the border of Peñas Blancas to four lanes.
The Ministry of Foreign Trade reported that the works, worth $1 million, will be completed in the first half of the year. In parallel, remodeling will be done to the border post and a new fumigation arc installed for trucks and vehicles.
"It is hoped that this will relieve congestion at the border crossing, as in December lines formed of up to seven kilometers long, as vans waited to do the paperwork and go north.
The BCIE has approved $340 million loan to the National Highway Council (CONAVI) in Costa Rica to boost its program ‘Strategic Highway Infrastructure Works’.
A press release of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) reads:
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) has approved a $340 million loan to the National Highway Council (CONAVI) in Costa Rica to boost the ‘Strategic Highway Infrastructure Works’ program'.
The Costa Rican Legislative Assembly has approved a $200 million loan for road infrastructure.
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan, is part of a loan package of $850 million, which will be disbursed in installments.
"These resources, which are exclusively for matters relating to road infrastructure, will be used for a second tranche of cantonal road development in a number of towns and roads that have already been established, the projects will be monitored by a unit of the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation", published Prensalibre.cr.
A study of the condition of streets and roads around the country reveals that 15% must be completely redone.
Total reconstruction, repair or mild maintenance works. This is what 100% of the streets and roads of Costa Rica's highway system need, according to a study by the National Laboratory of Materials and Structural Models (LANAMME).
Of all the country's roads, 60% need maintenance, 25% require some degree of repair or reconstruction, while the remaining 15% must be rebuilt.
The Cantonal Road Network Program (PRVC) BID-MOPT, now has the necessary resources to be developed.
The consolidation of this project will allow 1500km of connecting roads to be attended to and will have a direct impact on 81 municipalities and 9 municipal district councils around the country.
With the resources municipalities can conduct operations in asphalt, ballast, bridge construction and improvements to road safety on those roads seen as priorities.
The government is planning to invest $120 thousand per kilometer in the Varablanca highway, one of the country's most important routes for tourism.
The Ministry for Public Works and Transport (MOPT in Spanish) is to rebuild the roads worst affected by the January 2009 earthquake.
Writing for La Nación, Vanessa Loaiza reports that, "not only does the $661 thousand investment cover the earth works and resurfacing of 5.5 km stretch of highway, it will also include the piping for drainage of rainwater". The works are to be carried out by the company MECO.
Projects include road construction at Bajos de Chilamate-Vuelta Kooper, widening of the Inter-American Highway, construction and rehabilitation of bridges as well as road maintenance.
The President and the Minister of MOPT, Francisco Jimenez, announced an international tender for the widening of the Inter-American Highway at the section between Cañas and Liberia (50.6km) and a tender to build the new road from Bajos de Chilamate Bajos de Chilamate en Sarapiquí y Vuelta de Kooper en San Carlos (27 km)in Sarapiquí to Vuelta de Kooper in San Carlos (27 km), which will be vital in connecting the Northern area of the country with the Caribbean.
In Costa Rica, the official guide on highway, road and bridge construction is now in effect.
According to an article in Elfinancierocr.com, "The decree published formalizing the guide provides for the establishment of a Permanent Review Committee (PRC), which will be composed of representatives from MOPT, the National Highway Council (Conavi ) LANAMME, Association of Engineers and Architects of Costa Rica (CFIA), Roads and Highways Association of Costa Rica and Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica (ITCR)."
The highways council (Conavi) has re-awarded 22 road maintenance contracts after the National Comptroller's Office declared the previous process void.
Of the 22 contracts, the developer Hernán Solís was awarded 17 with three going to Meco, one to Quebradores del Sur and another to the consortium Orosi - Siglo XXI.
"The awards made by Conavi are identical to those made by the same council earlier in the year," reports Nacion.com.
The National Comptroller's Office has annulled the award of 22 road maintenance contracts.
Nine companies had presented a total of 11 appeals against the decision to award contracts to the construction companies Hernán Solís, Meco, Quebradores del Sur and Orosi.
"The reasons include acknowledgement that the Costa Rican Highways Authority (Conavi in Spanish) was unable to state the calculations used in the award as private," reports Nacion.com.
The emphasis of the collaboration projects to be negotiated will be on roads and security.
In preparation for the visit of China’s chief diplomat in August, the Costa Rican government is putting together a cooperation proposal.
“Projects such as the strengthening of the National Police Academy, improvements to the highway between Limón and the Central Valley, and a ‘dry canal’ railroad to link Caribbean and Pacific ports are a few of the ideas that authorities are considering,” reports Nacion.com.
The Costa Rican congress has approved a loan from the IDB for road-widening projects in San Jose and the northern region of the country.
Of the total funds provided by Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), $45 million will go toward the construction of the Sifón (San Ramón) to La Abundancia (San Carlos) highway.
The plan also includes funds for 19 bridges and the widening to four lanes of the Interamerican Highway between Liberia and Cañas in the province of Guanacaste.
22 road maintenance contracts cannot be started as appeals are analyzed, a process that may take another three months.
Construction companies had complained when these works were awarded to a single company for $237 million. As a result, the National Roads Council (Covial), decided to award 17 to company “Hernán Solís”, three to “Constructora MECO”, one to “Orosi Siglo XXI” and one to “Quebradores del Sur”.