The Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) announced that a contraflow system will be activated on Route 27 on Monday afternoon to help ease traffic congestion during the Army Abolition Day holiday.

Costa Rica on Monday marks the 77th anniversary of the abolition of its military, a national holiday observed annually on December 1. As a result, many private businesses and most public institutions, including banks, schools, clinics, embassies, institutes, academies, universities, and municipal offices, among others, were closed for the day.

This holiday significantly increases travel along Route 27, one of Costa Rica’s busiest highways linking the capital with the Pacific provinces of Puntarenas and Guanacaste.

To accommodate the heavy return traffic toward San José, officials will reverse traffic flow on a key stretch of the highway. From 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., all lanes between the Pozon toll station in Alajuela Province and the Ciudad Colón toll station in San José Province will be directed exclusively toward the capital.

Closures will begin one hour earlier at 1 p.m. and continue until 7 p.m., one hour after the contraflow ends. A maximum speed limit of 37 mph (60 kph) will be enforced during this period.

During contraflow hours, westbound drivers (from San José to the Pacific Coast) must use one of the following alternative routes:

• Route 1: From Río Segundo canton in Alajuela to Esparza canton in Puntarenas, rejoining Route 27.

• Route 3: Through Atenas canton to Orotina canton in Alajuela, reconnecting with Route 27 in Puntarenas.

• Route 239: From the Ciudad Colón district in San José to La Palma district, in the Parrita canton of Puntarenas.

Authorities advise motorists to plan ahead, remain alert to contraflow schedules, and drive with caution.

For real-time traffic information or roadside assistance, travelers may contact Globalvia, the company that manages Route 27, at (+506) 2588-4000.

In related topics, about 1.9 million vehicle owners in Costa Rica must pay the annual marchamo tax before Jan. 1, 2026, to avoid fines.  The marchamo is a mandatory yearly tax required to operate a vehicle in Costa Rica. Similar to a vehicle registration or road use tax in the United States, it helps fund accident insurance, road maintenance, and other transportation-related expenses.

The MOPT oversees Costa Rica’s road, port, and airport infrastructure, as well as national public transportation policy.

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