Autopistas Out
Of Pocket For
Loss Of Tolls
And Repair Work
On San José -
Caldera
The Autopistas
del Sol may be
regretting the
deal with made
with the
government of
Oscar Arias when
it signed on the
dotted line to
build and manage
the San José -
Caldera under a
concession
contract.
The former
administration
was under
pressure to open
the highway as
soon as
possible, and as
such former
president Oscar
Arias cut the
ribbon on
January 27,
2010, some six
months ahead of
the July 2010
schedule and the
original
December 2010
completion date.
However, since
the first days
the highway
became known as
the "autopista
de la muerte"
(death highway)
following a
number of
accidents being
blamed on the
road design and
construction and
though not
accused
directly, of the
poor management
by Autopistas.
With the start
of the rainy
season in May
the situation
got worse for
Autopistas, as
heavy rain
caused land
slides and rock
falls, mainly
between
kilometres 37
and 48 that runs
from Atenas to
Orotina, causing
the ministerio
de Obras
Publicas y
Transportes (MOPT)
to completely
close off on
June 12 the 11
kilometres
strecth of road.
The question is,
who is to pay
for the
modifications
necessary to
make the highway
safe and lessen
the risk of
mudslides and
rock falls? and
what about the
loss of daily
revenue by
Autopistas?
The answer is
simple, the
concessionaire.
The MOPT
minister,
Francisco
Jiménez,
explains that
all one has to
do is to look at
the concession
contract.
Jiménez said in
no uncertain
terms the
government will
not indemnify
the company (Autopistas).
The road was to
have been
completely
re-opened this
past week
following two
reports by
experts.
However,
minister Jiménez
preferred to
side with
caution,
maintaining his
order of closure
until at least
this coming week
when a third
report is due.
The cost to
Autopistas is
estimated at ¢18
million colones
(us$33.000)
daily from the
loss of the toll
charges at
Atenas, the only
toll booth
affected by the
road closure,
for a total of
us$693.000 for
the last 21
days.
In addition,
Autopistas has
invested much
more in the work
and materials to
shore up the
wall faces
causing the rock
falls and earth
moving to change
the slopes at
the areas of the
landslides.
Since the
closure, experts
hired by the
government and
Autopistas have
come to the same
conclusion,
there are
sections of high
risk on the
highway.
"Our job is to
apply the law
and if they file
for indemnity,
it won't
happen", said
minister Jiménez.
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