A violent multi-vehicle crash on the Autopista General Cañas (Route 1) late Thursday night triggered hours of closures and heavy congestion Friday morning on one of Costa Rica’s busiest commuter corridors, with a second collision adding to delays near San José.
Emergency agencies were dispatched around 8:41 p.m. Thursday to the San José–Alajuela lanes near the Castella bridge area in Ulloa, Heredia, where two tractor-trailers and four passenger vehicles were involved, according to local reports and first responders’ summaries.
The Cruz Roja treated multiple patients at the scene. Reports varied, but at least one person was transported in critical condition to Hospital México, while others were treated as stable and either taken to medical centers or declined transport. No deaths were reported.
By dawn, traffic remained severely backed up as crews continued working to remove damaged vehicles, particularly the heavy trucks. Drivers reported long delays building from the western San José approach, with authorities urging motorists to seek alternate routes.
Complicating the morning commute, another crash was reported Friday around 7:36 a.m. near Hospital México in La Uruca, involving a passenger vehicle and a trailer, further slowing already-limited flow toward San José.
For those visiting, the General Cañas is the primary link between San José, Heredia, and Alajuela, and disruptions routinely cascade across the metro area’s main arterials. Police and emergency officials again called on drivers to reduce speed, avoid abrupt lane changes, and plan additional travel time while congestion clears.
