No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveDriving Restrictions Take Effect This Week

Driving Restrictions Take Effect This Week

New driving restrictions went into effect this week that will keep certain motorists from driving at peak hours in central San José.

Drivers of oversized vehicles will also be prohibited from traveling through the capital or on certain major highways. Violators of either decree could be slapped with a fine of 5,000 colones (about $9.70).

Meanwhile, President Oscar Arias’ administration hopes to push through legislation in coming weeks that would eliminate the tax on diesel and shift it to regular and super.

The same bill would also increase the tax on some diesel vehicles by 100 percent and transfer ¢10 billion (about $19.4 million) to the National Oil Refinery, making up for revenue lost when the government suspended a proposed ¢85/liter hike in diesel prices.

The newest peak hour restrictions will be enforced on and within the Circunvalación, the route that runs around San José, and will be based on hour, day of the week and the last digit of a driver’s license plate.

Vehicles with a 1 or 2 are forbidden on Monday, those with a 3 or 4 on Tuesday, 5 and 6 on Wednesday, 7 and 8 on Thursday, and 9 and 0 on Friday. The restrictions are from 6-8:30 a.m. and from 4:30 -7 p.m. Overweight vehicles can no longer travel through downtown San José, nor along Route 32 (Braulio Carrillo), General Cañas Highway (Alajuela), Bernardo Soto Highway (San Ramón), Próspero Fernández Highway (Santa Ana), and Florencio del Castillo Highway (Cartago).

On June 23, Arias’ administration presented a bill to the Legislative Assembly that would nix the ¢97.5 ($0.19) per liter tax on diesel, transferring the cost onto the price of regular and super.

The tax for regular would move from ¢165.75 ($0.32) to ¢306 ($0.59), while that for super would increase from ¢173.25 ($0.34) to ¢325.50 ($0.63).

The same bill would levy a 100 percent tax on luxury diesel vehicles, amassing ¢6 to 7 billion (about $11.6 to 13.6 million) in tax funds.

Light freight, transport and special equipment vehicles that run on diesel would be excluded from the new tax.

Presidency Minister Rodrigo Arias said Costa Ricans are living in a “true national emergency” due to ever-rising oil prices. He urged legislators to work together to pass the bill within the next four weeks.

The government is pitching the diesel tax cut as a means to help the agricultural, industrial and transport sectors, as well as the 80 percent of Costa Ricans who use public transportation on a daily basis for work.

Should the bill fail, Arias said, the Public Services Regulatory Authority will be forced to raise fuel prices across the board.

“Everyone will have to pay equally,” Arias said. “The government insists that we protect the people with the least resources.”

–Leslie Friday

 

Trending Now

Costa Rica Faces Economic Blow as Intel, Pfizer, and Qorvo Announce Restructuring

Intel announced that it will shut down its chip assembly and test plant in Costa Rica, part of a broader global restructuring aimed at...

Venezuela Accuses El Salvador of Torturing Deported Migrants From U.S.

Sexual abuse, daily beatings, rotten food: The government of Nicolás Maduro on Monday denounced “torture” against Venezuelan migrants sent by the United States to...

Costa Rica Fails to Meet Human Rights Standards for Deportees

The Ombudsman's Office has confirmed that Costa Rica was unprepared to provide adequate care for deportees who have entered the country since February. This...

Remittances to Central America Surge 20% Amid U.S. Deportation Fears

Family remittances in Central America grew by around 20% in the first half of 2025, according to official data—a rise that experts attribute to...

Panama Farmer Receives Land Title After 60-Year Wait at Age 109

A 109-year-old Panamanian farmer has received the land title for the property where he lives and works—six decades after first requesting it from the...

Why I Choose Real Life in Costa Rica Over the AI Hype

When it comes to AI, call me OG. Old school. I sometimes wish I could go back to a time before it existed. Artificial...
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
spot_img
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