Autopistas Given
48 Hours For
Plan To Make San
José - Caldera
Safe Or Face
Closure Of The
Highway
Autopistas del
Sol, the
concessionare of
the San José -
Caldera has been
given 48 hours
to come up with
a remedial plan
to prevent more
landslides and
rock falls or
face the closure
of the highway.
The ultimatum
was made by the
ministro de la
Presidencia,
Marco Vargas,
who said that he
did not want to
speculate on the
measures nor
when and what
action will be
taken, but was
adamant that the
Presidencia was
firm on the
issue.
The problems on
the highway that
opened on
January 27,
2010, are
between Orotina
and Atenas,
where serious
landslides and
gigantic rocks
has fallen onto
the highway,
causing one
death and damage
to a least 20
different
vehicles.
The family of
the woman who
died in the
accident two
weeks ago, when
the motorcycle
she was a
passenger on hit
a giant rock on
the highway, is
suing Autopistas
for ¢100 million
colones in a
suit filed this
week.
Francisco
Jiménez, the
ministro de
Obras Públicas y
Transportes (MOPT),
said he has met
with company
officials to
discuss the
problems of the
area most
affected by the
weather
conditions and
find a solution.
Jiménez praised
Autopistas for
being on top of
the situation
and dealing with
12 of the 15
most critical
points
identified by
the Colegio
Federado de
Ingenieros y de
Arquitectos.
Cristian
Sandoval,
general manager
of Autopistas,
said on
Wednesday that
today (Thursday)
the company
would be
providing an
advance on the
proposals for
the work to be
carried out.
Sandoval assures
the road is safe
and a "winter"
contingency plan
is in place to
deal with the
risks faced by
drivers.
The general
manager said
that part of the
plan is to
detour drivers
in the event of
a landslide or
rock fall and to
reimburse toll
charges to the
affected
drivers.
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