The protest on Monday by truckers may have been in vain, the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep) – regulator of public prices and services – clearing it up, “it does not have jurisdiction over the tolls on the Ruta 27”.
Being a concession of the State, the road is under a concession contract with Globalvia, the Aresep cannot intervene in the setting and regulating of tolls along the highway that runs from San Jose to the Puerto Caldera, on the Pacific coast.
The regulating authority said the adjustment of tolls and evaluation of the quality of service is the responsibility of the National Council of Concessions (Consejo Nacional de Concesiones – CNC).
Concessions are regulated by the General Law of Concession of Public Works that establishes a proper legal framework for these services, in which the Aresep cannot intervene.
The truckers, in protest, expressed their annoyance at the high costs of the tolls on the Ruta 27 and descended on the offices of the Aresep and later delivered to the Constitutional Court a document in which they demand Globalvia expand the road to four lanes. In addition, the truckers are asking for the suspension of the tolls while the expansion work is being carried out.
The Ruta 27 is four lanes from the Sabana park to the toll stations in Escazu, then six lanes to Multiplaza, reduced to four lanes to the Cuidad Colon (Santa Ana) tolls and then two lanes to the Pacific port.
Contrary to the Ruta 27, the Aresep does have jurisdiction over tolls on the General Cañas, the Bernardo Soto (the airport to San Ramon), the Florencio del Castillo (road to Cartago) and the Braulio Carrillo (road to Guapiles), all being roads under the control of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT).
