Road Conditions in Costa Rica can be sever, like this washout during Tropical Storm Tomas.
When you vacation in Costa Rica, you will most likely rent a car when you arrive in San Jose. The highway system in the capital city of San Jose is comprised of modern multi-lane freeways that look very much like freeways in other large cities around the world.
Road conditions in Costa Rica can change very quickly during heavy rains, etc especially in the rural countryside. During Tropical Storm Tomas many roads became blocked due to mudslides, washouts and in some cases, bridges went out. With said, traffic can backed up as far as one can see. Detours are most common and it would take days. if not weeks for the road to be cleared.
One of the best way to make sure of the road conditions along the route you intend to travel is to stop often and ask the locals for information on whether the road has problems or is passable with 4WD, which is a must to rent due to the high clearance, better handling and 4-wheel drive features.
Another way is to double check if the major routes are open at any given time, you can call the bus company.
BELOW IS A LIST OF ROADS from Costa Rica Transit Police THAT HAVE PROBLEMS, this is updated on a regular bases and will help plan your travel.
Note: Step travel is a single lane, where one waits until it is time for you to go. Time varies from a few minutes to hours. It is a bummer when you are the next car to go and get stopped, becoming the head of the line and then the wait begins 
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