“La Platina” bridge has a new hole

October 30^th, 2012 (InsideCostaRica.com) On Friday morning a new hole opened up in the bridge that crosses the Virilla River on the General Canas Highway, which has come to be known as the “La Platina” bridge.

Squads from the National Road Council (COSEVI) visited the scene in order to determine the gravity of the problem.  They decided that for the time being it would be better to find a way to force drivers to slow down when crossing the bridge, rather than shut it down completely at this time.

“For the time being, there is no danger, as long as drivers cross the bridge slowly, especially trucks and heavy vehicles. This is why we decided to place cones in the middle of the road, so that people feel that the road is narrower, and therefore, they will have to go slower,” said Cristian Vargas, Chief of Road and Bridge Conservation.

Vargas stated that among the options that are being considered is the possibility of taking a measure similar to what was done at the bridge in front of the San Pedro Mall last weekend, though he didn’t elaborate if this would mean simply installing a piece of sheet metal, or additional repairs as well. Vargas said the work could be done at night and without the need to shut down the entire highway.

In the meantime, the road will be closed 10 p.m. and until 5:00 a.m, in order to slow the deterioration of the structure.

The company Soares de Costa repaired the “Platina” bridge in 2010; however, the repairs didn’t turn out as expected. As a result, the Costa Rican government has denied payment to the company until the repairs are done to their satisfaction, which has seen both parties in arbitration.