Only behind Argentina and Mexico, Costa Rica takes the third place in Latin America when it comes to car density, with an average 231 cars per 1000 inhabitants, according to information published by the State of the Nation 2018 report.

Argentina has a vehicle density of 315 and Mexico 278. The traffic problems in the Great Metropolitan Area (GAM) of Costa Rica are not news to anyone; in the past 10 years the country’s car fleet grew by 60%.

The high car density also has a negative impact over the environment and the quality of life of Costa Ricans who spend time and money every day in traffic jams.

Information gathered also shows that in average cars in the country are close to 16 years old adding to the contamination problem.

Inefficiency of public transportation continues to be the biggest problem in mobilization.

The Government of Costa Rica has made public transportation one of its priorities through bus sectorization and the implementation of an electric train,  as well as the improvement of infrastructure to alleviate 28 bottle necks; other measures include promoting other option of clean transportation such as the use of bicycles.

“We have to be clear in that the solution to public transportation is not about building more roads but in advancing with public transportation. By 2021 we have an important even which involves the renovation of public bus licenses; the opportunity will be used to move together with this business sector in a transparent dialogue (towards sectorization)”, has stated First Lady, Claudia Dobles.