Traffic jam nightmare ahead

For starters, the construction of the new flyover in Balboa Avenue, that will partially close the entrance of Corredor Sur, in Punta Paitilla in front of Multicentro.

The works will be at their peak 5:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. onwards, as drivers who are going from Balboa Avenue to Via Israel will have to take a winding detour, complete with stops and lights, that crosses Avenida Italia.

If you thought that was the least of your problems think again. Other works such as the new exits in San Isidro (San Miguelito), in Domingo Diaz in front of Auto Depot, will add to the misery.

However the Ministry of Public Work will not interfere with the traffic.

In February a new bridge that will give access to Cerro Viento will be constructed.

The new bridge that will join Cerro Patacon with Villa Caceres will start on January 14, adding to the troubles of the 70,000 drivers that utilize the Ricardo J. Alfaro avenue on a daily basis.

The Las Americas bridge is also under repair and one lane is closed, which causes traffic jams for the people who are leaving the city for Arraijan and Chorrera.

The Centennial bridge has not escaped the road works and part of the relatively new highway is having extensive repairs after part of it collapsed in the heavy November rains.

Colamarco said that for the last 18 years city roads were totally neglected and that is the reason why the road network is in a state of total disrepair.

“We cannot do everything in five years, mainly because the growth and development of the city, especially toward the east.”

The Minister added that the project of filling holes in the different parts of the city continues and blames the bad state of the roads to the excessive rains and the heavy equipment used in the construction of more than 120 buildings and new projects currently being developed.

Around 400,000 vehicles use the roads on a daily basis and the forecast is that that number will increase in the future.

It is expected that the majority of the works around Balboa Avenue will be finished in May 2009, just in time for the presidential elections, but chaos will continue until then.