There is a stretch of highway running from the airport in Panama, Central America, to Panama City that is owned by a Mexican company running parallel to the gov. highway. It is a toll road and very well maintained. The taxi driver encourages you to take that road even if it costs you more because it doesn't beat up his car as bad as the regular road. My guy even gave me a little break on the fare to encourage me. And we made it in record time.
What's that line at the end of Jurassic Park, "Life finds a way".
Now, how much would you like to bet, that the mexican toll road company is slipping a little graft to a government official, to make sure that the public highway is not maintained?