Bridge Collapse on Interamerican Highway Highlights Problem
The recent collapse of a stretch of road on a bridge over the Rio Seco on the Inter-American highway is expected to keep the vital route closed for at least three days. Along with the road went a fiber optic that is causing the failure of Internet and ATM machines in the northern region of the country.
Alternative routes are available through San Carlos and Tilaran, however the result is “chaos” as described by a reporter for Teletica. Hours long traffic jams are common as well as accidents along a route that is not designed for heavy truck traffic. A drive through Cuidad Quesada for example has been reported as taking more than three times the normal time.
The recent video by Teletica provides an excellent view of the collapsed highway on the Rio Seco. Those in the area are only able to cross on foot on a narrow support beam.
The report goes on to highlight what is described as a “National Emergency”, at least 300 bridges in danger collapse according to the Ministry of Public Works. The director, Francisco Jimenez asserts that $250 million is needed to remediable bridges on the list, and puts the number into perspective by saying that it is actually more than the annual national budget for road works.
Also summarized by the report are notable dangerous bridge episodes. Last year a bridge between Orotina and Turrubares on the Tárcoles river collapsed killing five people on a school bus. More recently the explosion of a fuel truck after being struck by another truck during a bridge collapse on the Rio Largato created controversy after it was discovered that the known road fault had gone without repair for three years.
Expats have complained for years of the country’s lack of investment in highway infrastructure, and this latest event on the Interamerican highway highlights the Growing Problem.
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Filed Under: Local News
