Carolina mayor: Shift in retaining wall on Baldorioty de Castro poses danger

Describing the deteriorating condition of the retaining wall along the Plaza Carolina exit, Carolina Mayor José Aponte Dalmau said “water can be seen pouring out copiously from between the slabs of the wall and the displacement is around 3 to 4 inches.”

By The Star Staff

Carolina Mayor José Aponte Dalmau said Monday that a retaining wall on the Plaza Carolina exit ramp of the Baldorioty de Castro Avenue is shifting, putting drivers at risk.

Aponte said that the island Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP by its acronym in Spanish) was alerted, but there had been no response as of Monday morning.

“The DTOP had already been notified previously about the displacement of the retaining wall and the danger that this represents,” the mayor said in a written statement. “They have not addressed this issue and today, the constant rains that we have received have aggravated the problem.”

The Municipal Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Administration temporarily closed access to the state highway, since, Aponte said, “water can be seen pouring out copiously from between the slabs of the wall and the displacement is around 3 to 4 inches.”

Aponte added that he tried to contact engineer Ana Feliciano, who is responsible for the DTOP Carolina region, but received no immediate response. Engineers from the contractor CSA Group subsequently showed up at the site to inspect the wall, he said.