The drive from San José to the southwestern suburb of Escazú will next year cost a bit more.

New tolls slated for May 2009 will charge cars ¢325 (nearly U.S. $0.60) each way, the daily La Nación reported.

The new toll marks an almost four-fold increase from the current ¢75 ($0.13), meant to finance the construction of the highway to the central Pacific port of Caldera, a much awaited project that began in January.

Demolition of the old toll booths began Wednesday, according to the Public Works and Transport Ministry.