Costa Rica road project delay

A key Costa Rica road project faces delays and questions.
By MJ Woof November 29, 2024 Read time: 2 mins
A key road project connecting Costa Rica’s capital San Jose with Limon is delayed – image courtesy of © Dmitry Chulov| Dreamstime.com


Construction delays mean that Costa Rica’s Route 32 extension project is behind schedule. The road widening work is intended to boost capacity and reduce journey times for the route linking Limón in Costa Rica with the country’s capital, San José.

Work for 10 roundabouts along the route was intended to be complete in March 2025. So far, construction is only just commencing on two of the roundabouts. Surfacing of some sections of the new roadway has yet to be carried out. There are also technical issues with bridges spanning the Chirripó River and Blanco River as well as a number of other bridges on the route. And there are issues with materials and the disposal of waste, as well as signage that has been installed so far.

The work is being carried out by the Chinese contractor China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC). The concerns over the project have been detailed in a report from the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

Meanwhile, construction for the San José-San Ramón road widening work is expected to cost US$770 million. Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) is looking to source a loan from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) for the project. The route will be tolled to pay for its construction.

In addition, a new tunnel is planned for San Pedro. This will be build close to the La Hispanidad roundabout in San Pedro. Planning is underway for the tunnel project and MOPT will award the work in the second quarter of 2026 if the current schedule is met.
 

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