Published on Saturday, November 29, 2025
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) announced overnight closures on a section of the main highway leading to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in Alajuela.

The nighttime shutdowns will affect a stretch of Route 1, known as the General Cañas Highway, the primary road connecting San José and Alajuela and the main access route to the SJO airport.

Closures are scheduled from 11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, to 5 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 30, and again from 11 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30, to 5 a.m. Monday, Dec. 1.

The affected area is located near the main entrance of the National Convention Center in Alajuela. The MOPT stated that the closures are necessary for the construction of a two-level overpass.

Road signs and traffic officers will be in place to guide drivers. Travelers should allow extra time to reach the airport, follow posted signs and watch for delays or hazards related to the roadwork, authorities warn.

Drivers traveling from San José to Alajuela must detour to Route 106, at the entrance to Barreal Canton (passing below Castella Bridge), and continue toward Route 111 to La Aurora Canton in Heredia Province. From there, they can reconnect through Cariari Canton (Cariari Corporate Center) to rejoin Route 1 and continue toward the airport.

Those traveling from Alajuela to San José, including airport traffic, must detour at the entrance to Route 111 (the DHL company facilities) to Belén Canton and continue toward Barreal Canton, making a left turn before reaching the Castella Bridge, both in Heredia Province, before reconnecting with Route 1 toward San José.

The Route 1 work is part of a broader national effort to upgrade infrastructure across Costa Rica. Along another stretch of the same highway, authorities recently reopened a segment near Cambronero in Alajuela after crews installed a portable, prefabricated truss bridge, commonly known as a Bailey bridge, to restore traffic flow.

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

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