Costa Rica will apply reversible lanes on Route 27 on Sunday, July 12, and Sunday, July 19, as thousands of drivers return to the Central Valley from the Pacific during the midyear school vacation period. The temporary traffic plan will convert all available lanes between Pozón and the Ciudad Colón toll crossing toward San José, a stretch of about 47 kilometers.
The lane reversal itself will run from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., while the full operation will take place from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. to allow crews to prepare, close and reopen the highway safely. During that window, traffic heading toward the Pacific will be suspended through the affected section.
The measure is intended to reduce congestion for drivers returning from Puntarenas, Guanacaste and other Pacific beach destinations after the school break and the collective public-sector vacation week.The maximum speed during the reversible-lane operation will be 60 km/h. Temporary signs will be placed along the route, while Traffic Police will be present to regulate traffic and enforce speed limits.
Drivers who need to travel west toward Caldera during the restricted period will have to use alternate routes. The listed options are Route 3 through Atenas, Aguacate and Orotina; Route 1 through Cambronero; and Route 239 through Ciudad Colón, Puriscal, San Pablo, Turrubares and Orotina.
Route 27 is Costa Rica’s main highway connection between San José and the central Pacific, making it one of the country’s busiest corridors during vacation periods, long weekends and holiday returns. The reversibility plan is used when eastbound traffic toward the capital is expected to heavily exceed the normal capacity of the road.
The operation comes during the midyear school break, which began Monday with students scheduled to return to classes on July 20. The same period also includes vacation days for many public-sector workers from July 6 to July 10, adding to expected beach travel and return traffic.
Authorities urged drivers to plan their return trips in advance, respect the temporary signs, keep speeds down and follow instructions from Traffic Police and highway personnel. Drivers can check road conditions or request assistance from the Route 27 control center at 2588-4040.
