Visitors to our condo often ask about the condition of roads in Costa Rica. A lot of people have heard stories about road conditions, so I have decided to post this photo to answer some of those questions.
Above is a photo of the road leading to Tamarindo. This is the secondary road, about 16 km (10 miles) from Tamarindo. The primary road that leads from Liberia to the turnoff to Tamarindo is even wider than the one shown in this photo. Both roads that together lead from the international airport west of Liberia to Tamarindo were repaved in early 2007, and the trip can be made in a little under an hour.
Costa Rica has made it a huge priority in recent years to improve the roads. In a poll of tourists taken in the first quarter of 2008, the results gave a rating of 2.97, or the equivalent of "good" for the condition of the roads. This is a huge improvement over 2006, when the poll results were 1.75, or "poor" for the condition of the roads.
During 2008, the national government has improved the surface of 907 km. (564 miles) of roads. That is an impressive undertaking in a country that is the size of West Virginia or Switzerland.
In Guanacaste, the northwest province of the country, the ability of the government to improve the roads has been enhanced by the recent construction of a local asphalt plant. Road improvements are also assisted by a joint program between local governments in the region and the German Technical Cooperation Agency, with financing provided by the German Reconstruction and Promotion Bank.
I previously posted a photo of the main street in Tamarindo to show the condition of the street in town, which was repaved in early 2008. I am delighted to be able to report that last week one of the local papers had an article that the road from Tamarindo to Langosta and the entire loop road in Langosta will be paved in November of this year.
Above is a photo of the road leading to Tamarindo. This is the secondary road, about 16 km (10 miles) from Tamarindo. The primary road that leads from Liberia to the turnoff to Tamarindo is even wider than the one shown in this photo. Both roads that together lead from the international airport west of Liberia to Tamarindo were repaved in early 2007, and the trip can be made in a little under an hour.
Costa Rica has made it a huge priority in recent years to improve the roads. In a poll of tourists taken in the first quarter of 2008, the results gave a rating of 2.97, or the equivalent of "good" for the condition of the roads. This is a huge improvement over 2006, when the poll results were 1.75, or "poor" for the condition of the roads.
During 2008, the national government has improved the surface of 907 km. (564 miles) of roads. That is an impressive undertaking in a country that is the size of West Virginia or Switzerland.
In Guanacaste, the northwest province of the country, the ability of the government to improve the roads has been enhanced by the recent construction of a local asphalt plant. Road improvements are also assisted by a joint program between local governments in the region and the German Technical Cooperation Agency, with financing provided by the German Reconstruction and Promotion Bank.
I previously posted a photo of the main street in Tamarindo to show the condition of the street in town, which was repaved in early 2008. I am delighted to be able to report that last week one of the local papers had an article that the road from Tamarindo to Langosta and the entire loop road in Langosta will be paved in November of this year.
For people who have not been to Tamarindo, it is hard to communicate what big and welcome news this is. In addition to smoothing the drive all the way for those of us who have condos or houses in Playa Langosta, which is the nicest residential area of Tamarindo, it also means that both of the two major intersections in the heart of town will now be paved for the first time. Until now, the main street that runs along the beach was paved into the center of town, but the pavement stopped there, and the main intersecting road and the road that loops through Playa Langosta was not yet paved.
2 comments:
Hi David,
Thanks for visiting Avignon in Photos and commenting about "franglais". Voila means "there you are", so no wonder a reception clerk would use it when handing out something to you, but English speakers have really turned the term to something special!
I really enjoyed catching up with your latest posts. The sunset shots were just amazing, I loved yesterday's art gallery and also the well documented post about sloths. Amazing!
Today's post is an excellent way to show how good Costa Rica's road are! They weren't that good in the late seventies !!!
... although at the times they were already much better than anywhere else in Central America!
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