New all-day vehicle restrictions begin Monday

The Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) its new extended vehicular restriction hours Monday.

Restrictions will be enforced from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., instead of solely during rush hours. The changes in the restrictions were done to offset the rise in fuel costs.

Drivers with restricted plates will be prohibited from traveling in downtown San José and within the Circunvalación, a belt route around the city.

On Mondays, cars with license plates ending with a 1 or 2 cannot enter the restricted zone during the day. On Tuesdays, plates ending in 3 or 4 are banned, those ending with 5 or 6 are prohibited Wednesdays, 7 or 8 on Thursdays and 9 or 0 on Fridays.

The restrictions do not apply to motorcycles, public transportation vehicles, school buses and vehicles of disabled people. In addition, a new policy will allow carpools to avoid fines. Vehicles with three or more passengers now are exempt from the restrictions and the ¢31,600 ($62) fine that would occur if caught violating the restriction.