Transit Police shut down Route 32 at Cerro Zurquí early this morning after landslides dumped debris onto the highway amid ongoing heavy rains. The move came as a precaution to protect drivers on the vital link between the capital and the Caribbean coast.
Authorities reported the landslide struck around kilometer 27, blocking the road completely. Cleanup crews from the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) moved in to remove the material, but no timeline for reopening has emerged yet. Safety checks must follow the clearing before vehicles can pass again.
The closure caught many off guard, stranding hundreds of motorists heading between San José and Limón. Queues stretched for kilometers near the Santa Elena toll booth in San Isidro de Heredia and past the Río Frío intersection in the other direction. In Guápiles, traffic backed up as drivers waited to head toward the capital.
This latest disruption follows a tough month for the route. At the beginning of the month, heavy rains triggered a major slide near kilometer 31, including a 2,500-ton rock that forced a prolonged shutdown. The road stayed closed for over a week while teams blasted and cleared the obstruction, with partial reopenings only by mid-November. Another closure hit last week when fresh material fell in the same area, extending delays amid unstable soil.
The problems tie into broader weather issues battering Limón province. Heavy downpours on Wednesday flooded streets, homes, and schools like La Colina in the central canton. Damaged roads and sewers added to the strain. The Limón Municipal Emergency Committee activated early, working with agencies like ICE, Acueductos y Alcantarillados, and IMAS to handle 911 reports.
With soils saturated from repeated storms, officials warn of heightened risks. MOPT and the National Highway Council (CONAVI) teams plan to assess the site fully before any reopening, which could stretch through the day. Drivers should seek other paths, such as Route 27 to Caldera and then connecting routes to the coast, though those may add time. Stay informed via official channels for updates.
