Drivers using the General Cañas Highway between Alajuela and San José should prepare for additional congestion beginning Monday as crews carry out eight days of work along one of Costa Rica’s busiest roads. Partial closures will affect the inside lane in the Alajuela-to-San José direction from August 17 through August 24. The restrictions will be in place each day between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The work could be particularly important for travelers arriving at Juan Santamaría International Airport and continuing toward San José, since the airport connects directly with the General Cañas corridor. Drivers heading from San José toward the airport will be traveling in the opposite direction from the scheduled lane closure, although congestion along the highway can affect traffic more broadly.
The National Power and Light Company(CNFL), will use the closures to put in 90 patriotic light displays ahead of Costa Rica’s Independence Day celebrations on September 15. The decorations will include representations of the Torch of Freedom and people dressed in traditional clothing using Costa Rica’s red, white and blue national colors.
Two crews, two cranes and 10 CNFL technicians will work along the highway. Safety cones will be placed around the work areas to alert approaching motorists. CNFL will also take advantage of the road work to carry out preventive maintenance, including inspections of wiring, photocells and control panels connected to the lighting system.
The work has been coordinated with the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation. Eric Esquivel, CNFL’s director of Distribution, urged motorists to reduce their speed and use additional caution while workers and cranes are positioned along the highway. The timing avoids the heaviest part of the morning rush hour, but the General Cañas routinely experiences significant congestion, and reducing available road space between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. could create delays.
Anyone arriving at the San Jose airport during the affected hours should allow additional time for ground transportation to San José and surrounding communities. Residents traveling from Alajuela toward the capital may also want to consider alternate routes when possible.
The closures begin tomorrow August 17 and are scheduled to continue through August 24.
