Skip to main content

Costa Rica highway concession package cancelled

The Costa Rican Government is paying compensation worth US$28.4 million for the cancellation of a highway concession package. The compensation relates to the San José-San Ramón highway concession and is being paid to the Brazilian construction company OAS, reports Business News Americas. This follows a legal dispute over the project and is some $10 million less than OAS originally claimed in compensation. The 30 year concession package was cancelled last year due to opposition. There were allegations of a c
March 19, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
The Costa Rican Government is paying compensation worth US$28.4 million for the cancellation of a highway concession package. The compensation relates to the San José-San Ramón highway concession and is being paid to the Brazilian construction company 1511 OAS, reports Business News Americas. This follows a legal dispute over the project and is some $10 million less than OAS originally claimed in compensation. The 30 year concession package was cancelled last year due to opposition. There were allegations of a conflict of interest in the award of the contract as well as complaints the proposed toll fees would be too high. The project for the $524 million project to upgrade and widen the 58km section of highway was originally expected to have been complete within a 30 month time slot. Under the terms of the agreement, OAS will provide the Costa Rica Government with all the plans, studies and technical documents carried out for construction of the link. The payment will be funded by the national roads council 2538 Conavi. The El Foro de Occidente group opposed to the original concession has now set out plans for a $478 million alternative proposal in coordination with the 2536 Ministry of Public Works and Transport, MOPT and Conavi. This includes a lower toll fee of $2.23, instead of the $3.90 OAS had proposed.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Costa Rica to replace Conavi with a National Infrastructure Institute
    March 14, 2016
    Amid concerns over the efficiency of Costa Rica’s highways agency Conavi, the authority has been given more time to provide details on expansion of Route 32, according to the La Republica newspaper. Conavi has been at loggerheads with the Treasury Inspector's Office which wants Conavi to move faster and authorise a contract for the expansion of road between Rio Frio and Limon granted to China Harbour Engineering Company. China Harbour has been requesting further details about the US$395 million projec
  • Costa Rica: Conavi gets more time and funds for road maintenance
    October 26, 2015
    Costa Rica’s road agency Conavi has extended the deadline and increase funds by $154 million for road repair and maintenance contracts. Contracts will be extended for the companies involved which include Constructora Meco, Grupo Orosi, Quebradores del Sur, Constructora Hernan Solis and Conansa. The Treasury Inspector's Office made the announcement, according to El Pais newspaper. Meanwhile, four banks are considering an investment in the 60km San Jose-San Ramon Road Expansion Project. They include
  • Costa Rica highway widening project moving ahead
    February 6, 2015
    In Costa Rica plans are now moving forward with a project to widen the highway connecting capital San Jose with San Ramon. The project looks likely to cost in the order of US$440 million. The Costa Rican Government has given its approval for a trust fund financing system for the project. Plans to carry out the widening work were delayed earlier when Costa Rica’s Government cancelled a contract with construction company OAS, leading to compensation claims.
  • Costa Rica road projects moving forward - slowly
    July 18, 2017
    Costa Rica is moving ahead with a series of major road projects, but progress is proving slower than anticipated or desired. The Costa Rica Government is struggling to achieve satisfactory progress with its overall road improvement programme. So far the key focus has been on maintaining existing links rather than building and improving road connections. The country’s National Laboratory for Structural Material and Models (Lanamme) has produced a report revealing that 85% of the national roads are in accepta