Finally: Oft-maligned stretch of Caldera Highway reopening

After multiple delays, the Caldera Highway will reopen again Friday night.

At midnight, the troubled Atenas – Orotina route on the road that connects San José to Caldera on the Pacific coast will be opened again after weeks of repairs, according to an announcement made by the Ministry of Public Transportation.

Originally it was reported in mid-February that construction by Autopistas del Sol would close the route until the beginning of March, and then it was supposed to open last Monday. However, an official with MOPT decided to keep it closed after discovering a missing tie beam in the road.

The 11-kilometer stretch has undergone several repairs since it opened last year. After opening on Jan. 27, 2010, mudslides and falling rocks have been responsible for several injuries and a death on the highway that leads to Caldera on the Pacific Coast.