Costa Rica highway tender attracts 4 firms

Costa Rica’s public works and transport ministry (MOPT) received four proposals for the contract to design and build a stretch on route 35. 

The companies that are bidding are China Harbour Engineering Company, Constructora MECO, Constructora JILSA, and the Holcim Proinfra Ruta 35 consortium,  local outlets El Mundo and Despertar reported.

The contract also includes maintenance works.

Known as Punta Sur, the stretch will have four lanes and run 8.2km from Bernardo Soto to Florencia, both located in the San Carlos canton. It will connect route 35 with national route 1.

“We’re fulfilling the commitment we made with San Carlos’ inhabitants and to all the northern region. We received proposals from national and international companies to build Punta Sur, we’re one step closer to see the start [of construction] of this highway,” El Mundo quoted MOPT head Mauricio Batalla as saying. 

“Now begins the hard work of analyzing the offers and awarding the contract, and we expect to have machinery on site next year,” Despertar reported deputy MOPT head Efraím Zeledón as saying.

The winning company will have eight months to finish the works, which are expected to commence some time during January-April next year, according to the outlets’ reports.