Costa Rica’s Route 27 was expected to partially reopen Friday after a major sinkhole cut off the country’s main highway between San José and the Pacific coast earlier this week.
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport planned to restore limited traffic at kilometer 56 in Coyolar de Orotina, where a collapsed culvert opened a large crater across both lanes Wednesday afternoon. The reopening will not mean normal traffic has returned. Drivers should expect a single temporary lane, with police regulating alternating one-way traffic in both directions.
The route is one of our most important corridors, connecting the Central Valley with the Pacific beaches, the Central Pacific tourism zone, and the port of Caldera. Its closure created heavy delays and forced drivers onto secondary roads while emergency crews worked through the night to stabilize the area.
Authorities said the temporary opening is meant to ease congestion while the concessionaire continues repairs. A modular Bailey bridge is expected to be installed early next week, which would allow two lanes to operate through the damaged stretch while the permanent repair is completed.
The full fix is expected to take about two weeks. That work includes removing and replacing the failed culvert, filling the damaged section, and repaving the highway so regular traffic can resume. The collapse occurred while crews were carrying out culvert replacement work in the area. According to MOPT, a surge of water and debris hit the site during heavy rain, bringing down the roadway and leaving both lanes unusable.
Until traffic is fully restored, drivers should expect delays near Orotina and check conditions before leaving San José, especially if traveling to Jacó, Puntarenas, the Central Pacific, Guanacaste, or Caldera. Heavy vehicles have been directed to use Route 1 through Cambronero, while light vehicles have been sent through the old Orotina road, Route 757, passing through Coyolar before returning to Route 27.
The disruption comes at a difficult time for travelers and cargo operators. Route 27 already handles heavy weekend traffic between the capital and the coast, and any reduction in lanes can quickly create backups. The affected stretch is also important for freight moving to and from Caldera, one of the country’s main Pacific ports.
For anyone headed to the beach, you should keep in mind that Route 27 may be open again, but it is not back to normal. Police-regulated traffic, repair crews, machinery, and possible backups are expected to remain in the area until the permanent repair is finished.
The reopening marks a partial relief after Wednesday’s sudden closure, but the next several days will still bring slower travel times on one of Costa Rica’s busiest highways.
