Chinchilla Says
She Would Not
Hesitate To Shut
Down San José -
Caldera
Will she or
won't she is the
question and
presidenta Laura
Chinchilla
answers that she
will not
hesitate to shut
down the San
José - Caldera
is the technical
reports indicate
that is the best
thing to do to
ensure public
safety.
The possibility
of shutting down
the highway that
has been at the
centre of
controversy the
past several
weeks, following
serious
landslides and
rock falls that
have place
drivers at risk
since the start
of the rainy
season, and
resulting one
fatality so far.
The presidenta
took a hard line
attitude
yesterday,
responding to a
public outcry to
either make the
road safe or
shut it down.
However, the
presidenta,
explained, it
doesn't mean
that the road
will be shut
down any time
soon, just that
experts are
evaluating the
problem and
working with the
concessionaire
of the highway,
Autopistas del
Sol, to make the
necessary
changes to make
the road safe
for all.
Last month a
motorcyclist hit
a gigantic rock
that had fallen
on the highway
in the middle of
the night
following a
heavy rainfall,
killing the
passenger who
died the
following day in
hospital.
Dozens of other
reports of
vehicles being
hit by falling
rocks, a
temporary
closure of the
highway for
several hours
and the closure
of lanes, have
all contributed
to the terror
felt by many
drivers.
However, the San
José - Caldera
is not the only
highway that is
suffering from
the effects of
the start of the
rainy season,
Ruta 32 (San
José - Guapiles)
was shut down
for two weeks
while work crews
removed loads of
mud from the
highway.
The controversy
of the San José
- Caldera is the
accusation that
the former
government
rushed to open
the highway
ahead of
schedule,
putting aside
safety concerns.
The highway was
opened on
January 27,
2010, ahead of
the original
December 2010
and then revised
July 2010
opening date.
Playing a role
in the possible
closure of the
highway will
also be the Sala
Constitucional
(Constitutional
Court) which has
as of yesterday
four "recursos
amparo" (appeal)
against the MOPT
and the
Autopistas del
Sol, asking the
magistrates to
order a closure
of the road.
The San José -
Caldera and the
Braulio Carrillo
(Ruta 32) share
similarities,
with the only
difference is
that drivers on
Ruta 32 are used
to the mishaps
and temporary
closures.
The ministro of
Obras Públicas y
Tránsportes,
Francisco
Jiménez, says
that no decision
will be made
until a full
report is
tabled. The
minister said
that technical
studies by
geologists and
the use of a
special airplane
for an aereal
analysis will be
used in the
report.
For his part,
the ministro de
la Presidencia
and former MOPT
miniter, Marco
Vargas, assures
that the road
was opened only
after all the
various
government
agencies gave
the green light.
At a press
conference
Tuesday, vargas
could not name
off the top of
his head those
agencies, but
assured that all
protocols were
followed.
"We will
maintain
monitoring the
highway", said
Chinchilla. |
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