The New Costa Rican Highway and the Central Pacific Coast
 -- What it Really Means --
A Commentary by Peter James

 
Photos taken 31 January 2010

 

Combine the last week in Costa Rican school vacations with the inauguration of a new highway between San Jose and the Pacific Coast and you have the above traffic situation leading to the toll booths. The above photos were taken on 31 January 2010 in front of the main entrance gate and security guard station to our complex. This, of course, is NOT the new highway. Fortunately, the main entrance road between the front gate and Las Vistas is more than a mile long, but the transformation between the traffic congestion shown above and that of a serene "Jurassic Park-type setting" upon entry is almost instantaneous.

   
Less than one hour from San Jose/Escazu using New Highway #27
It seemed that the entire country came out to check out the new highway to the Pacific Coast. The travel time between Las Vistas and Las Lomas to San Jose using the new highway (less than an hour compared to an hour and forty-five minutes using the old road) should encourage Costa Rican medical and other professionals to commute to San Jose from the Pacific Coast. The new highway is expected to "jump-start" the real estate industry on the Central Pacific Coast.