The National Highways Advisory (Conavi) announced Wednesday the status of 18 routes affected by recent heavy rains and mudslides in the Northwest, Central and Central Pacific regions of the country.
In the Northwest Region:
Route 21 between Santa Cruz and Nicoya, on the Nicoya Peninsula, is partially closed.
Route 163 between Jicaral San Francisco and Playa Coyote on the Nicoya Peninsula is closed.
Route 901 between Nandayure and Bejucoon on the Nicoya Peninsula is closed until workers can fix drainage issues along the road.
Route 160 between Playa Naranjo, near Moctezuma, and Páquera is partially closed with road work nearing completion. This route is also partially closed in a section linking the communities of Bongo, San Francisco, Playa Coyote and Caletas due to road damage.
Route 915 between the Rio Leon bridge and Comunidad Bongo is partially closed due to road damage.
In Alajuela Province, Route 732 between San Isidro de Upala and Colonia the bridge over the Negro Rio is damaged and passage is being regulated.
In the Central Valley:
Workers are regulating traffic in one location on Route 209 between Palmichal and Los Santos southeast of San Jose.
Workers are regulating traffic in two locations on Route 222 between Tarbaca and La Fila south of San Jose.
Workers are regulating traffic in one location on Route 226 near San Pablo de León Cortés south of San Jose.
Traffic is regulated on Route 315 near Llano Bonito.
Traffic is being regulated on Route 239 west of San Jose between Puriscal and Quitirrisi due to a landslide.
Route 742, also known as the Carrera Buena near San Ramón, Alajuela Province is partially closed due to road damage.
Route 239 near Chorro Lorena is partially closed due to a landslide.
Route 148 between Palmares and Rio Grande is partially closed due to a landslide.
Route 217 near Alajuelita is damaged and engineers are inspecting the road.
In the Central Pacific Region:
Traffic on Route 34 is regulated at 2.5 km before the bridge over the Tárcoles River, due to the road sinking.
Traffic on the Pan-American Highway near Empalme is regulated due to a sinking of the road.
Heavy rains Tuesday afternoon caused a landslide blocking Route 222 between the towns of Tarbaca and La Fila, south of San Jose, according to an alert issued by the National Highways Advisory (CONAVI).
The route will be closed from 5 p.m. Tuesday until 7 a.m. Wednesday morning, the alert said, while engineers and machinery clear the debris. Approximately 2,800 tons of earth and mud covered the road, which according to CONAVI, is prone to landslides – particularly during the Costa Rica’s rainy season.
Additionally, the Public Works and Transportation Ministry reported that 11 different routes in various parts of the country have been affected by heavy rains in recent days. Most of these routes have already been cleared. Significantly affected areas were on Route 2 between Golfito and Río Claro and Route 209 in areas south and east of San Jose.
