Costa Rica construction chamber sounds the alarm over deteriorating infrastructure

The Costa Rican construction chamber has called on the public works and transportation ministry (MOPT) to give greater priority to the country’s deteriorating public infrastructure. 

“Today the national infrastructure is in a critical state due to the inefficient management of MOPT and its institutions during at least 30 years,” local daily El Mundo cited a report from the chamber as saying. 

Between 1991 and 2020 public works represented nearly 20% of construction activity in Costa Rica, but last year it only made up 9%, according to the chamber.

“This low level of investment is unsustainable in a country where the productive sector requires support, and which seeks to attract foreign investment and tourism on a large scale,” it said. 

The chamber also expressed concern over road projects that have registered slow progress or inadequate progress information, mentioning the San Carlos highway, the expansion of the Florencio del Castillo highway, the route 27 expansion, and the works stoppage at the San José-San Ramón corridor.

Public transportation and healthcare infrastructure were also mentioned as areas of concern for the chamber since the government has halted several projects due to the poor financial state of the country's social security authority (CCSS). 

“The last passenger train project did not advance, and we do not know what the new plan is. This plan would necessarily have to be accompanied by a project to sectorize public transportation, but we lack information about its status.” 

According to El Mundo, the chamber sent a request to MOPT head Luis Amador for a meeting to discuss the issues in question.