Q COSTA RICA — The expanded San José–San Ramón road corridor (Ruta 1) will feature surveillance cameras and radar units at intervals of at least 1.5 kilometers, as part of a system designed to monitor traffic flow, measure traffic volume, and detect incidents on the road.
This is stipulated in the tender documents published last week, which include the installation of video surveillance equipment and smart sensors along the route.
The cameras will allow for the monitoring of entry and exit points, the oversight of traffic flow, and support for incident response. The radar units will be equipped with sensors to count vehicles, measure their speed, and classify them by vehicle type.
The system will also collect data on vehicle length, average following distance, road occupancy, and sections where traffic congestion occurs.
Cameras with night vision and no blind spots
The tender calls for mobile PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) dome cameras. These dome-shaped devices feature internal motors that allow for horizontal and vertical movement, as well as zooming capabilities. They must also record in color and provide high-performance imagery.
The equipment must be capable of operating under various weather and lighting conditions, including fog, cloud cover, low-light environments, and through the use of infrared or thermal night vision.
The installation must ensure 100% visibility of the roadway, with no blind spots. The contractor will be required to install additional cameras whenever necessary to meet this requirement.
The devices will be positioned within the right-of-way on 15-meter-tall poles, located in areas with access to electrical connections or near existing infrastructure. Where such a power supply is unavailable, the units must operate using solar panels.
No word yet from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) as to whether the system will enable the implementation of automated traffic enforcement (photo-enforced fines).
With this project, the route to San Ramón would become the first highway in the country to be fully monitored via a video surveillance system.
Barrier-free tolling and electronic payment
The technology for the expanded highway also includes the option of implementing barrier-free tolling, known as “free flow.” The project specifications include requirements for installing electronic vehicle identification systems and automatic license plate recognition.
The highway will feature four toll stations: at Los Arcos (Belén), El Coyol, Grecia, and the Río Segundo access road.
However, the operation of these barrier-free toll systems is contingent upon the approval of the necessary regulations. The MOPT (Ministry of Public Works and Transport) is currently drafting a bill to authorize this system.
Payment options include the use of “digital vehicle registration” (marchamo digital) technology, which would allow tolls to be charged to a card linked to the vehicle—functioning in a similar way to devices like QuickPass used mainly on the Ruta 27 and affiliated parking garages.
The expansion project is scheduled to span a maximum timeframe of 72 months (6 years) from bidding to completion following the official launch of the international public tender by CONAVI in late October 2026.
The current timeline consists of several major phases:
- April 2027: Deadline for interested construction companies to submit bids through the CONAVI Tender Portal and opening of tender bids
- July 2027: Anticipated official project award; construction and design work expected to begin. The initial work will focus heavily on the highly congested sector between La Sabana and Hospital México
- 2027 – 2031 (48 Months): Active construction and equipment installation phase. Design and construction will be carried out in parallel to save time.
- 2031 – 2032 (Final 12 Months): Dedicated period for defect correction and finalization
The US$770 million project is financed heavily by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) and the OPEC Fund, and covers roughly 60 kilometers of vital roadway.