Costa Rica Should Consider Subway Instead of Tranvía To Solve San José Traffic Problems

Costa Rica should think more on a subway instead of a tranvía (tram) to solve the transport problems of San José, says the Asociación Costarricense de Geotecnia.

Panama has one. Guatemala and El Salvador are discussing the options of implementing the idea in their cities.


Metro de Medellín

In the case of Costa Rica, it is committed to the tram option that the president of Geotecnica, Marco Tapia, says is not the right option.

Plans has been in the works to build a tranvía the 12 kilometres between Curridabat and Pavas, a project that would cost US$700 million dollars and would, according to municipal and transport officials, meet the needs of the city for the next 20 years.

The Municipalidad of San José is betting on the support of the government of France, now working on a feasibility study.

The tram is not new in Costa Rica.

The tranvía operated for 51 years in San José, from 1899 to 1950, a period some call the golden age of public transport in the capital.


The tranvía of San José. Fotos: crtrenes.blogspot.com

In this period Josefinos (residents of San José) did not suffer the daily torture and battle traffic congestion, using a medium that was safe, efficient and environmentally friendly.

On April 9, 1899, san José began the tram service that was manage by the Costa Rica Electric Light and Traction Company. This has been called the most visionary project the country has ever seen.

In 1900 the project was abandoned favour of the expansion of the road to San Pedro del Mojón, today known as San Pedro de Montes de Oca or for mostly, simply San Pedro.


Modern tranvía being proposed

Architect and investigator, Andrés Fernández, told La Nacion, the removal of the tranvía was a big mistake.