Traffic Jams and Excessive Gas Consumption will Be Combated by New Restrictions.

Just two weeks ago, San José’s Placa y Pico (License Plate & Rush Hour) vehicle restrictions went into full effect, disallowing drivers to navigate the city during rush hour on certain days, according to their license plate. However, after just ten restricted days, it has been announced that the restrictions will soon cover not only rush hours, but the entire day.

The Consejo de Gobierno (Costa Rican Cabinet) announced the enhanced restrictions recently, and the Minister of the Presidency, Rodrigo Arias, elaborated, saying that all vehicles, both public and private, would be included in the restrictions. The only exception are for police and emergency vehicles, like ambulances and fire trucks. In addition, Arias explained that the stronger restrictions would extend to public vehicle use on weekends and holidays.

Like all law, the restrictions must first be published in La Gaceta before becoming official; this latest announcement is planned for late next week, or shortly thereafter. Currently, the Ministry of Transportation and Public Works (MOPT), together with the President, are finalizing and reviewing the details of the new document.

Currently, the restrictions are in place Monday through Friday during horas pico (rush hours), or 6am to 8:30 am and 4:30pm to 7pm. Daily restrictions are governed by license plate, and vehicles with license plates ending with a 1 or 2 may not drive on Mondays, those ending in 3 or 4 are restricted on Tuesdays, etc. When the new restrictions are approved and put in place, days will divvied up in the same way, but the restrictions will last from 12am until 11:59pm the same day.

Keeping in mind the country’s commercial well-being, Viviana Martín, the Vice Minister of MOPT, notes that the new policy will not apply to commercial vehicles. Before implementing such a change, MOPT would need to review further the effects on such a restriction, weighing carefully the impact it would have on the transportation of goods. Therefore, all commercial vehicles whose license plates begin with a “C” or “CL” will continue following the current, rush hour-only restrictions.

Though the new policy will only affect the San José province, involved agencies are already considering expanding the restrictions into the country’s other six provinces of Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, Liberia, Limón, and Puntarenas. Currently, San José is home to the most traffic, and therefore most urgently in need of the restrictions, but the government is well aware that all provinces are subject to heavy traffic conditions.

To accommodate restricted drivers, MOPT has already begun public transportation studies, and will evaluate commuters’ needs, increasing bus service when and where necessary. In addition, the studies will determine how many additional taxis are required to handle the increased need, making sure that everyone has a ride.

These new driving restrictions are good news to some, promising fewer traffic jams, less pollution, and a smoother Costa Rica Travel experience overall. And though these policies inconvenience many drivers, it is a necessary step to reduce Costa Rica’s fuel consumption, while combating its terrible traffic.

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Filed under: Costa Rica News on July 3rd, 2008