National Route 606, which links the Northern Inter-American Highway to the canton of Monteverde in Puntarenas province, will temporarily close to traffic for infrastructure improvements, the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) announced.

The closure is required to carry out construction on a new bridge over the Guacimal River. The route will be closed to all vehicles beginning at 6 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, according to authorities.

Officials said the shutdown will allow crews to relocate the provisional bridge currently in use to another site, clearing space for construction of the permanent structure.

 

During the closure, MOPT teams will install a portable, prefabricated truss bridge, commonly known as a Bailey bridge, to restore traffic flow. Installation is expected to take about two weeks.

Authorities anticipate the temporary bridge will be operational during the first week of February, allowing drivers to cross the river while work on the permanent bridge continues.

Construction of the new Guacimal River bridge is expected to take about nine months. The project includes a 35-meter-long concrete bridge featuring two lanes in each direction, pedestrian walkways, lighting and access points on both sides.

The bridge is budgeted at $1.4 million and will be funded through the ministry’s budget. It is designed to improve safety and traffic conditions along the route.

Traffic police and road signage will be deployed to direct drivers to an alternate route. The detour begins on National Route 605 at the Lagartos River bridge and reconnects with Route 606 near the Santa Elena district of Monteverde.

The Guacimal River bridge project is part of a broader national effort to upgrade transportation infrastructure across Costa Rica. In recent weeks, a section of Route 2, the Southern Inter-American Highway, reopened after repairs were completed following a landslide that destroyed part of the roadway.

MOPT is the government agency responsible for overseeing Costa Rica’s road network, ports, airports and public transportation systems.