Costa Rica’s Route 27 is expected to reopen in both directions for all vehicles at 5 a.m. Monday, bringing major relief to drivers heading between San José and the Pacific coast just as midyear vacation travel begins to build.
The reopening covers kilometer 56 in Orotina, where rain-related erosion forced a closure in late May and later left traffic moving under restrictions. The highway is Costa Rica’s main road link between the Central Valley and the central Pacific, including Jacó, Puntarenas, Caldera and onward travel toward Guanacaste.
The return to normal traffic will allow light vehicles, buses, heavy trucks and articulated vehicles to use the section again. During the emergency, heavy vehicles had to rely on alternate routes, adding time and cost for cargo transport, beach travel and regular commuters.
Crews have been working for more than a month at the damaged section after heavy rain contributed to the collapse of an underground drainage structure. The repair included the installation of a larger concrete culvert to replace the smaller structure that failed.
Although traffic is set to resume in both directions, final stabilization and additional work will continue in the area. Drivers should still expect machinery and work crews near kilometer 56 and should drive carefully when passing through that part of the highway.
The reopening comes at a critical moment for travel, with the midyear school vacation beginning Monday and many families expected to head toward the beaches. The public employees vacation period, which runs from July 6 to 10, is also expected to increase outbound traffic from the Central Valley.
Later this month, Route 27 will use reversible traffic toward San José on Sundays, July 12 and July 19, to help manage the return from the Pacific. On both dates, all available lanes between Pozón and the Ciudad Colón toll area will operate only toward San José from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Traffic toward the Pacific will be suspended from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on those Sundays to prevent vehicles from entering the reversible section in the opposite direction. The temporary measure covers about 47 kilometers (29 miles) and will include a maximum speed of 60 km/h (37 mph).
Route 27 will again be the main option for Pacific travel starting Monday, but the busiest return windows will still require planning. Drivers heading back to San José on July 12 or July 19 should expect one-way traffic toward the capital in the afternoon, while those trying to drive toward the coast during that period will need to use another route or travel outside the closure window.
