From May 3 to 6, the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT – Ministerio de Obras Publicas y Transporte) held meetings with residents of Garza and La Esperanza de Nosara to convince property owners along route 160 of the importance of donating sections of their land to advance work.
The MOPT project and longstanding commitment is to pave the 30 kilometers between Samara and Nosara. However, due to its high cost – some $60 million – it is still impossible that the government will be able to to completely pay for the work.
While funding is sought, MOPT continues to advance the process of expropriating land along the route and maintenance work.
Since February of this year, civil engineer Juan de Dios Monge, with the Property Allocation Department (DABI – Departamento de Adjuicaciones de Bienes Inmuebles), has been assigned exclusively to seeking donations or expropriations of the approximately 245 properties that border the route.
Until May 6, only 13 land donation contracts had been signed. The process involves the owner signing a form in which they accept making the donation, according to Monge, and the process can take some four months before the land is registered in CONAVI’s name.
On the other hand, for expropriation the process can last 18 months in the best cases, and the payment made to owners directly affects the budget that has been allocated to pave the route. It is for that reason that MOPT is aiming to convince all property owners of the importance of donating.
As compensation for those who donate land, the government will pay owners for any improvements needed in case the construction has to be demolished.
For the meeting held in Garza on Friday, May 6, some Garza and Guiones property owners arrived and all expressed their consent to donating. Among others present was the Swiss businessman Thierry Von Der Weid, who owns several properties that will be affected by the route’s construction.
Other local residents who arrived for the meeting were Francisco Lopez and Gerardo Brenes from the Route 160 Committee. They strongly supported Monge in his work to contact owners of lots, speak with them, explain the situation and convince them to donate. The committee will be publishing the names of people who donate land on their Facebook page RUTA160 NOSARA, thereby motivating other owners who aren’t convinced to do so.
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