Contraloria General ordering in January to build the road to Caldera

The road to Hacienda Vieja, Orotina, where the track will pass, was closed yesterday by landslides. Jorge Umaña



Project 77 km should be ready by July 2010

Contraloria ordering in January to build the road to Caldera

* Pending signing contracts with creditor banks financing
* Contraloria allows adjustment of $ 72 million in extra cost of works


Vanessa Loaiza N. | vloaiza@nacion.com Vanessa Loaiza N. | vloaiza@nacion.com


If there are no further setbacks, the new road San Jose-Caldera should finally start to be built in January 2008 after 30 years of waiting.

Last night, the Contraloria General of the Republic endorsed an amendment to the concession contract for the route, which sets the cost of the work orders and begin construction in the next 39 days.

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Funding remains


The civil works project gives to the consortium Spanish, Portuguese and Costa Rican -Autopistas del Sol- will have a total value of $ 230 million (¢ 119,830 million), which is $ 72 million more than anticipated in 2001.

Luis Diego Vargas, Vice Minister of Concessions, explained that six years ago the road to 77 kilometers was valued at $ 158 million, which no longer compensate for the rise in construction materials such as steel, asphalt and fuel.

The addendum also extended the period of construction, from 24 months to 30 months. That means that the route should be up and running in July 2010.

Carlos Arguedas, manager of Administrative Contracting Office of the Contraloria, adding that now the concession period varies, as it is extended to 25 years and six months, rather than 25 years as originally scheduled.

However, the Vice Minister Vargas said that the contract provides that the grant could end earlier date if the company Autopistas del Sol achieves revenues of $ 258 million (¢ 134,418 million).

Satisfaction. Last night, the Minister of Public Works and Transport, Karla Gonzalez, was satisfied by the endorsement issued by the Contraloria.

"We know very well the need to start a project which has 30 years remaining". We know that, from this moment, there must be a continuous process of giving, to achieve the urgent modernization of road infrastructure, "said jerarca at a press conference.

According to Gonzalez, although the order of start of work should be, no later than December 29, it is likely that the machine will begin to work "in the first half of January," to take advantage of the summer.

Prior, the grantee must submit contracts for the financing of the project with its creditor banks: Caja de Madrid and the Banco Centroamericano de Integración Económica (BCIE).

However, until yesterday, those documents were still in draft.

Gonzalez said that banks were only awaiting the endorsement of this addendum to finalize negotiations with Autopistas del Sol.

A project in installments. Caldera The new road will be made up of three sections, the first running from San Jose to Ciudad Colon, another Ciudad Colon to Orotina, the latest of Orotina to Caldera.

It is anticipated that this road will reduce by 45 minutes between the capital and the port of Puntarenas.

The stretch between Ciudad Colon and Orotina is currently in ballast and only has five major bridges which were inaugurated in the administration of Miguel Angel Rodriguez (1998-2002).

Hada Munoz, project manager, explained that the construction of an asphalt road in a two-lane stretch in that it will take 30 months and will be the first to start in January next.

On April 2008 is expected to be extended several points between San Jose and Belen de Mora and to build a new road to Ciudad Colon.

This is one of the most "sensitive part" because of the work required to demolish and expand the bridge Ringroad passing on the highway Prospero Fernandez (leading to Escazú).

Finally, in November 2008 start rebuilding sector Orotina-Caldera, which would be ready in April 2009.

When the entire route is finished, drivers will have to pay a toll of $ 2.7 (¢ 1,400) to make the full tour.

VIACRUCIS ROAD

June 2001: The Argentine consortium Costa Rican Cartellone-Acosol was awarded the project San José-Caldera. The cost of the work was $ 158 million.

August 2003: signing the contract with the consortium Cartellone-Acosol and a third partner, the Canadian SNC Lavalin.

November 2004: The consortium renunciation of the project by the continuing delays in the expropriation of land.

December 2005: The Contraloria authorizes that another company, the Consortium Autopistas del Sol, underwrites the project.

April 2006: signing the new contract for construction. Starting construction is set for January 2007.

February 2007: The construction was postponed for April while the contracts were signed financing.

April: Banks refuse to sign the funding until the Contraloria endorse an addendum to the concession contract that includes the creation of a trust with the actions of the builder. It is an additional safeguard to protect the loan.

November: After months of negotiations the Contraloria endorses the addendum that adjusts the price of the civil works and includes the trust collateral.


La Nacion, November 20, 2007