Costa Rica’s Route 27 will operate with a reversible lane this Sunday, May 3, as authorities prepare for heavy return traffic from the Pacific coast to the Central Valley after the long International Workers’ Day weekend. The measure will apply on the highway between Caldera and San José, with traffic directed toward the capital between Pozón de Orotina and the Ciudad Colón toll plaza in Mora. The affected stretch covers about 47 kilometers.
The reversible lane will operate from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., while the road closure needed to prepare and reopen the route will run from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. During that period, drivers will not be able to travel toward the Pacific on that section of Route 27. Authorities said the temporary closure in the opposite direction is meant to avoid head-on traffic and reduce the risk of crashes while all lanes are being used for vehicles returning from the coast.
The maximum speed during the operation will be 60 km/h. Temporary road signs will be placed along the route, and Traffic Police officers will be on site to regulate movement and enforce the rules. Drivers heading toward Caldera during the reversible-lane hours should use alternate routes. Options include Route 3 through Atenas, Aguacate and Orotina; Route 1 through Cambronero; and Route 239 through Ciudad Colón, Puriscal, San Pablo and Turrubares toward Orotina.
The operation comes as many residents are expected to leave the Greater Metropolitan Area for beaches and mountain destinations over the holiday weekend. International Workers’ Day falls on Friday this year, giving many public-sector workers and private employees a long weekend. Drivers can check road conditions or request assistance from the Route 27 concessionaire’s Control Center at 2588-4040.
Authorities also reminded motorists that the regular license plate-based traffic restriction in San José will not apply today, May 1, or Friday, May 8. The May 1 holiday and the May 8 transfer of power are expected to reduce normal weekday traffic in the capital, while Traffic Police officers are reassigned to holiday travel routes, public events and official activities.
The San José restriction is scheduled to resume on Monday, May 4, and again on Monday, May 11, beginning with vehicles whose plates end in 1 or 2.
