The coming week could be key to the completion of the San José - Caldera highway that links San José to Puntarenas and drastically cuts travel time to Jacó and Quepos as the Consejo Nacional de Concesiones (CNC) delivers the final "addéndum" to the Contraloría General de la República (CGR).

The "addéndum" or changes to the contract,  is the final draft of the contract for the completion of the road that began as a dream some 30 years ago and has seen start and stop for the last decade.

The final draft includes the points negotiated between the government, the contractor and the financiers of the project.

The contract now has to reviewed and approved by the Comptroller, which is expected to take some 45 days, which if approved, the work to complete the highway can commence.

The "addéndum" takes into account nine key points of contention, most of which were related to material costs, bringing costs upt to date, as prices have changed since the contract was signed and current.

The biggest stumbling block was the ninth point related to the us$200 million dollar financing that the contractor, Autopistas del Sol, requires for the project. The hang up was on the amount of the fine or fines the government could force on the contractor for delays, the financiers wanting a cap on the amount before they would disburse any funds.

For the time being, the machines and work crews are sitting idly by waiting the approval of the latest contract.