Marcos Avila, president of the Nosara Development Association, manifested that since 2010 the plans for the route have been known; however he feels that the process is proceeding very slowly.

"They turned in the 20 plans for the route in July of 2011, when the agreement was signed with Vice Minister of Infrastructure of MOPT Maria Lorena Lopez and Vice Minister of the Presidency Francisco Marin. Now almost a year has passed from then and we still don't feel a real advance in the process," Avila said.

"We are still elaborating the land registry plans"
Interview with Engineer Rolando Arias, official
from the Institutional Planning Office of CONAVI

In what phase of the process is Route 160?

Route 160 is being contemplated in the 2012 Institutional Operation Plan for MOPT, and it consists of three parts: 1) making the design, 2) the elaboration of the land registry plans and 3) the bidding process for contracting the work. Currently the project is in the second phase, that is to say, the elaboration of the land registry plans.

Why does the process take so long? How much is lacking?

Finishing the preparation of the land registry plans is lacking; once that step is finished, it proceeds to the process of expropriation of properties that are close to the route. We still don't know how many properties that will be. The speed of this part will depend on the owners of the properties, if they cooperate so the expropriation is as fast as possible.

Then can you estimate that the last phase will initiate next year, the bidding process for contracting the work?

Probably this year the second phase will finish and in 2012 the last phase will begin, which is the bidding process for contracting the work.

Is Route 160 a priority for MOPT?

Of course it is. Route 160 is contemplated in the Institutional Operation Plan for this year. It's a national route, which means an important circulation of people and vehicles, due to which we know the need and urgency of asphalt along this stretch of road.

More Regional News

Extra protection from the Tourist Police for Holy Week

On Wednesday, March 21st, the Tourist Police met with the community of Nosara to present their updates. Among the good news, the chief of Guanacaste, Luis Chavarria Castrillo, said that Nosara is a priority for them, and due to this, in the month of February they transfered a new patrol vehicle from the delegation of Flamingo to Guiones Beach for patrolling along with the two existing motorcycles.

Attorney Files Appeal Against Nicoya's Regulatory Plan

A negative impact upon the environment and nesting turtles, 20 and 36-meter constructions along the coastline, the destruction of forests and water reservoirs; this could all happen if Nicoya's Regulatory Plan is approved just as it was presented on February 25th, Nosara residents reported.

“Law of Costal Territories is Respect Toward Private Property,” Carlos Gongora (ML)

The next fraction leader of the Movimiento Libertario (Libertarian Movement) party, Carlos Gongora, highlighted the importance of the Community Costal Territories Law (Tecocos) project since it is part of the “fundamental ideological principle of the liberals and it is respect toward private property.”

Thefts in Nosara and Garza Foiled

The police and OIJ are looking for suspects in two recent robberies, one in Nosara and one in Garza. On Saturday, March 17, during a Saint Patrick’s day party in Nosara, one party-goer decided to take a nap in her car. Around 11:30 p.m. she woke up to find a man inside her car, stealing her purse and wallet. She started screaming and honking the horn to scare him and he ran into the jungle with her belongings.

Second Field Fire in Two Days

It has been a busy weekend for the Nosara firefighters. This Sunday March 18 they responded to a field fire in Santa Marta. The fire was started when a small garbage fire caught wind and spread into a field and up a hill.

Esperanza Field Fire Burns Two Acres

A fire set to clear pasture space in Esperanza burnt out of control in the dry season weather. Nosara firefighters were called to the scene at 12pm on March 17, the fire, which had been burning for an hour, had spread through dry undergrowth.

Fire Consumed Large Part of Nosara’s Garbage Dump

A fire at the garbage dump in Nosara devastated a third of the land where the zone’s waste is deposited. According to the owner of the garbage dump, Arnulfo Espinoza, the fire “started by itself,” presumably by “a glass” that heated up a dry leaf.

Nosara-Samara
Communities Voice Concerns about Proposed Regulatory Plan
Commission Will Hold Meeting to Review Observations on March 23rd

The regulatory plan commission received so much feedback about the proposed regulatory plan for the Canton of Nicoya, especially from the communities of Nosara and Samara, that they plan to hold a special meeting on Friday, March 23rd beginning at 9 a.m. in the Municipality to address concerns, according to Juan Carlos Oviedo Quesada, coordinator of the regulatory plan commission and Maritime Land Zone coordinator for the municipality.

OIJ Investigates Compay's Death

Nicoya's Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) is investigating the causes behind the death of 36-year old, Alexander Antonio Matarrita Castellón, known as ‘Compay’, who passed away on Thursday, March 8th at 11:00 a.m. at Hospital México, after being in a coma since February 21st.

Interview with Legislator Claudio Monge (PAC)
“The MOPT is not interested in budgeting money for Route 160, there are no mega tourism developments there"

Claudio Monge, legislator for the political party Partido Acción Ciudadan, toured several communities in the canton of Nicoya. VON took this opportunity to ask about the reasons why the project on Route 160 is not moving forward, and if the government really is interested in paving this road.

Lack of Water Affects Several Areas in Nosara Town

Since December 2011, 600 residents of Los Arenales and San Pedro are suffering due to lack of water. According to Christoph Hubmann, President of Nosara's rural ASADA, there is not enough water in the four tanks that supply the precious liquid to those neighborhoods. San Pedro is the area that has been most affected.

Coastal Territories Law Will Reward Illegal Activities at Ostional's Wildlife Refuge

Community leaders, environmentalists and tourism entrepreneurs have reported that the Coastal Territories Law suggests awarding properties to individuals, real estate companies and developers and political entrepreneurs who have committed irregular acts with properties within the Ostional Wildlife Refuge and the Maritime Terrestrial Zone (MTZ).

Nosara Red Cross
Emergency Doctors

Four Days with the Nosara Red Cross. If a medical emergency happens, Nosara can feel like an isolated place. The nearest hospital is 37 miles (60km) away in Nicoya, the two private health clinics are only open during the day and rarely deal with emergencies.

Sick of Dust
• Lack of pavement on roads negatively affects health
• 186 from Nosara have respiratory problems per month

The excess of dust particles in the air has more than 6000 people in the Canton of Nicoya tired and sick during Guanacaste’s summer or dry season. 

OIJ Assigns More Investigators to Nicoya Coastal Towns
• New Mobile Forms Allow People to File Complaints Locally

Eight months after a tourist from Argentina was shot in Samara on June 16 in order to rob her of a laptop computer, her murder remains under investigation, but the event served as a catalyst for greater attention to security along the coast. 

34 Families in Cuesta Grande Without Water Since November
• Local ASADA’s Legal ID is Expired and it Can’t Operate

Since the month of November of 2011, 34 families from the communities of Cuesta Grande and Terciopelo have their faucets dry. This is due to not having a connection to AyA’s system, and the source from which they have been taking water has been going dry.

More Speed Bumps for Samara? 
CASATUR proposes six new speed bumps to increase safety for pedestrians

Though they may be a nuisance to drivers, these bumps in the road are a means of slowing down traffic and reducing potential danger to pedestrians and bicyclists. To that end, Samara’s Chamber of Tourism, CASATUR, has recommended to MOPT the installation of six more speed bumps in strategic locations...

Proposed Regulatory Plan for Canton of Nicoya Available for Your Inspection
• People Have Until March 9th to Voice Questionsand Concerns 

Time is ticking. Inhabitants of the Canton of Nicoya were given just 10 working days to review the proposed regulatory plan, ask any questions they may have and respond with observations or concerns after the plan was presented during a public audience at the Polideportivo arena in Nicoya on Saturday, February 25th.