Q COSTA RICA — To prevent tolls from becoming another traffic bottleneck, the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) is preparing a project to implement toll-free toll collection.
This system, known as “free flow” in other countries, essentially speeds up toll collection and, most importantly, eliminates the need for drivers to stop, thus improving traffic flow.
The plan is to install the systems at all toll plazas nationwide, including Ruta 27, according to Efraím Zeledón, head of the MOPT.
Zedón did not reveal the specific method to be used, but the RFID technology of the digital vehicle registration sticker — Marcahmo — that the Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS) will implement starting in 2027 is compatible with photo enforcement and free flow toll systems, as the system records when a vehicle passes through a toll plaza.
An example is Panapass, installed in Panama, where the toll booths have devices to read the vehicle’s license plate and collect payment without forcing it to stop.
The system does not incorporate GPS or location tracking, but it does keep a record that the vehicle passed through that toll, as happens when paying by card or Quick Pass.
Currently, the only toll roads in the country are Ruta 32 and the Autopista Florencio del Castillo, managed by the Consejo Nacional de Vialidad (Conavi), and Ruta 27, operated by Globalvía.
The MOPT stated that Ruta 27 would be the first to be converted to a free-flow system because the company is interested in eliminating the bottlenecks caused by tolls, especially the Escazú toll plaza.
Furthermore, the proposal includes plans for future road construction projects that will involve tolls. These include the expansion of the road to San Ramón and the concession of the Florencio del Castillo, which will have additional toll booths along its route.
However, the option to pay with cash will not be eliminated. MOPT Minister Efraím Zeledón assured that at least one booth accepting coins and bills will be maintained at all toll plazas. This will be done for users who do not wish to adapt to the new technology and in accordance with jurisprudence from the Constitutional Court.