RICO’s DIGEST (OPINION) The new access road from the General Cañas highway to Barreal de Heredia, near the Castella Conservatory, will not opened as announced by the Fideicomiso Ruta Uno (Ruta Uno Trust), despite the tremendous joy at the announcement made on May 19 by the Government.
Why the delay you ask?
The reason and honestly I couldn’t make this stuff up even if I tried, is that the road used by vehicles and pedestrians has no sidewalks.
“This forgetfulness suspends the date for the work to be enabled, which is 95% complete,” the Ruta Uno Trust reported in a statement admitting the oversight.
“Unfortunately, the draft did not contemplate the construction of sidewalks and, thanks to the approach of the citizens of the sector, it made us rethink, immediately, to establish the most appropriate way to meet the needs of pedestrian users.
“In this way, the corresponding steps were taken for field studies and defining a solution to facilitate and ensure pedestrian circulation,” explained Hadda Muñoz, project manager.
Residents had to complain before anyone realized that this new road, a marvel of Costa Rican road construction, has not sidewalks.
Remember the May 19 announcement? It was made during a personal visit to the site by President, Carlos Alvarado; the first lady, Claudia Dobles (who is heading the electric train project) and the Minister of Public Works and Transport (MOPT), Rodolfo Méndez, among others.
They all gave the go-ahead to the work because they saw it “pura vida”.
The building now of the sidewalk is not a simple matter.
“Once we receive the budget prepared by the contractor, we will be able to define the exact date of opening of the connector, since we have committed ourselves with the community and the Municipality of Heredia not to put the work into operation until the construction of the solution is completed. pedestrian, in order to guarantee the proper and safe circulation of pedestrians in that area,” concluded Hadda Muñoz, who apparently still has a job.
These are the same people responsible for the expansion plan for the San José-San Ramón section of the Ruta 1.
The Barreal road is one of seventeen works by the Trust under the “Programa de Obras Impostergables (OBIS)” – Unpostponable Works Program.
