China donates an $850 million monorail system to Costa Rica

A Chinese state company is likely to donate more than $850 million for the construction of the first phase of a monorail system to cover the frequently gridlocked Circunvalación ring road of San José, one of the main arteries of the Costa Rican capital.

The 39-kilometer scheme would ease traffic on the roads, in addition reducing the nation's carbon footprint, while saving time and money for people and companies, said Aleyda Bonilla, the project manager.

The monorail would cost less than a high-speed passenger train that the government has suggested and with a very much lower price tag than a metro system.