The Costa Rican Government informed of an aggressive plan of investment on road infrastructure for a total of $4.6 billion that will cover urgent work and county road projects along the entire territory.

The Government also announced the strengthening and expansion of the model of works by concession with an investment of over $8.5 million which includes the reinforcement of the National Concessions Council (CNC).

The initiatives are part of the Comprehensive Action Plan for Economic Reactivation and was presented by President Carlos Alvarado, the Minister of Transportation Rodolfo Méndez, the Minister of Coordination with the Private Sector, André Garnier and the Coordinator of the Economic Team, Edna Camacho who leads the strategy.

“These projects are financed with resources that already exist of credits that have not been executed and under the scheme of public-private alliances, and therefore will not generate pressure over public finances. In the case of CNC these are resources that come from the national budget 2019 that were obtained by reducing sub-executions of other state institutions”, explained Minister Camacho.

“This is a big challenge for Costa Rica, and a big opportunity for the country to demonstrate that things CAN be done, that we are still capable of carrying out big projects like we did in the past, that we don’t need 30 years to execute a project that can be done in 4”, commented Minister Mata.

To advance in the execution of big works, the Executive branch will send a project to Congress to reassign a $350 million credit of the Inter-American Development Bank, investment that will allow the injection of resources to the following projects:

-$50 million for the San Jose – San Ramon route
-$50 million for the San Jose – Cartago route
-$50 million for the San Jose – Limon route
-$200 million for the San Carlos road

Other works include the Circunvalación Norte ($203.6 million), the construction of overpasses in the Garantias Sociales roundabout, La Bandera roundabout and the new cross-way in Guadalupe with an investment of $21.9 million, works that will conclude by 2020.

The expansion of the Saprissa Bridge ($22.4 million) is also contemplated.

Works related to the first stage of sectorization and modernization of public transportation will also be executed.

“The investment in infrastructure is a central factor in the economic and social development of every nation, since it potentiates the efficiency of private investment in the economy, facilitates the effective work of the markets and supports balanced growth in the different regions”, said Garnier.

The expansion of national route 27 (San Jose-Caldera) through a private investment of $450 million, and a public-private alliance for the roads San Jose-San Ramon ($650 million), San Jose – Cartago ($400 million) and San Jose-Rio Frio, the expansion of the Interamericana Norte, Angostura, and the paving of the route between Paquera and Playa Naranjo, among other works.