Costa Rica aims to fix one of biggest road frustrations

It’s an event as Costa Rican as gallo pinto or Salsa Lizano: The National Roadway Council (CONAVI) finally finishes paving a road, leaving a fresh installment of smooth asphalt … and the Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) shows up days later, destroys the construction and lays a new pipe.

That oh-so-aggravating Costa Rican tradition may soon become less common thanks to an agreement between the two institutions, the Presidency announced this week.

CONAVI and AyA have signed a protocol “to coordinate the execution of works by both institutions throughout the country.”

“Through this protocol, a coordination channel is created for AyA and CONAVI to talk to each other and to make improvements in the interventions they carry out on the roads. This way we will have a better use of resources and more efficient works ,” said Claudia Dobles, the First Lady.

The agreement will remain valid until at least January 2023.

“Both institutions work in the same physical space, carrying out relevant infrastructure works. This seeks to emphasize the coordination of the projects that are being executed to reorganize the execution times and deadlines, so that there is a commitment on the part of both institutions for the benefit of all users,” said Mario Rodríguez, CONAVI’s executive director. 

Hey, we’ll believe it when we see it.