Vehicular
Restriction of San José Kept Out 100.000
Vehicles Daily
With the vehicular restrictions of San José,
transportation officials estimate some
100.000 more vehicles on the roads daily,
increasing travel time an average 18 minutes
and congestion in the mornings and
afternoons.
The estimate is based on a calculation by
the engineers of the Dirección de Ingeniería
de Tránsito del MOPT based in a 2008 traffic
study.
The vehicular restiction of San José was
nulled last Friday by the Constitutioal
Court.
The traffic problems began on Monday and is
expected to continue until MOPT officials
figure out a way to reduce the number of
vehicles coming to San José daily.
Areas like La Uruca and La Sabana on the
west side and the autopista General Canas
that connects Alajuela, Heredia and San José
are constantly plagued with traffic
congestion, however, since Monday the
problem has become even worse.
The MOPT, using sensors installed in the new
traffic lights, say that 874.251 vehicles
circulated in San José before the vehicle
restrictions were put in place and only
771.764 or 12% less after.
The traffic measurements were taken between
May 26 and 30, 2008, between 6am and 7pm,
before the vehicular restrictions were in
place and then again between July 21 and 25,
during the same hours, when the restrictions
were in effect.
Now that the vehicular restrictions are
again off, Júnior Araya, director of the
Ingeniería de Tránsito, said that a new
study will be done next week.
For her part, the ministra del MOPT, Karla
González, has given up on the restrictions.
The minister is adamant that the
restrictions will be back soon, adding that
a decision on the direction the MOPT will
take will be made following a close study of
the written decision by the judges.
"The traffic study shows that there was an
effect on the reduction of traffic. The
restrictions are not in question, the
problem is one of legality", said minister
González.
Mario Quirós, legislator for the Movimiento
Libertatio (ML), who has opposed the
vehicular restrictions says that they (the
vehicular restrictions) haven't worked for
some time, mainly because drivers never
respected the measure.
Lisbeth Quesada, defensora de los Habitantes
(Ombudswoman) added that some of the
congestion in the downtown core was reduced,
however, it was only moved to the outlying
areas. |
