City officials reopened Avenida 8 in downtown San José Thursday morning, after it was closed for three months for reconstruction.
The avenue is a main artery for westbound travelers and cuts through the southern part of the city, from the court buildings to the Health Ministry near Paseo Colón. Over the past year, crews have reinforced the old road with concrete, which has a lifetime of 25-40 years.
In January, city workers expect to continue the project by redoing the eastern third of the road, which runs from Calle 25 to Calle 13 (beside the court buildings, the Clínica Santa Rita and the office of The Tico Times).
According to San José Mayor Johnny Araya, construction on the third phase won’t begin until after Christmas, so as not to encroach on the busiest time of year for commerce (or interfere with December’s mayoral elections).
Standing at the head of the new road on Thursday morning, Araya said, “I am satisfied, first, because we finished and, second, because we completed the project one month early.”
The second phase, covering six blocks from Calle 0 to Calle 13, cost taxpayers ¢260 million ($520,000) in materials, according to the mayor’s office.
