No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveComptroller Approves Road-Repair Funds

Comptroller Approves Road-Repair Funds

The Comptroller General’s Office cleared the way May 19 for 22 road-maintenance contracts for seven construction companies. The decision will allow for the repair of potholes on 4,500 kilometers of paved roadways over the next three years, according to the daily La Nación.

The roadways to be repaired include the stretches from Guápiles to Limón, on the Caribbean slope; Abangares to Liberia in Guanacaste; and Naranjo to San Carlos, in the Northern Zone.

The contracts for the roads had been paralyzed by appeals from two construction companies, Sánchez Carvajal and Hernán Solís, who were not chosen for contracts by the National Roadway Council (CONAVI) in January and alleged irregularities in the contract process. The comptroller’s May 19 decision rejected those appeals, allowing CONAVI to proceed with the contracts.

Public Works and Transport Minister Karla González told La Nación she hopes to have the Comptroller’s final approval for the contracts within a month and begin fixing potholes in July.

One problem remains: funding. The maintenance to return the roads to an acceptable state would cost at least ¢15 billion ($29.7 million), according to González, far above the ¢7 billion (approximately $13.9 million) available to the Roadway Council. The council plans to negotiate with the Finance Ministry to increase its budget, she said.

 

Trending Now

Costa Rica Hunts for Nicaraguan Hit Squad After Exile’s Assassination

Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) is investigating whether a hit squad tied to Nicaragua’s Ortega-Murillo regime is targeting exiled critics on its soil....

U.S. – Guatemala Security Pact Targets Crime and Helps Returning Migrants

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem signed a border security cooperation agreement with Guatemala on Thursday, which includes the use of drones and...

Costa Rica Joins U.S. Global Entry, Easing Travel for Tourists

Costa Rica took a big step forward, by officially joining the U.S. Global Entry program, a move set to make travel smoother for Costa...

El Salvador Slams Paris Fashion Show Inspired by Cecot Mega-Prison Inmates

The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, joked on Saturday that he could send inmates from his mega-prison to France, after they were represented...

An Expat’s Take: 5 Burning Questions About Life in Costa Rica Right Now

Have you been keeping up with the various events taking place in Costa Rica? There is always something interesting going down, and here are...

Hondurans March to Mark 2009 Coup as Election Battle Heats Up

Thousands of government supporters marched Saturday in the capital of Honduras to commemorate the anniversary of the 2009 coup that ousted then-leftist President Manuel...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica