Warning registered on road's instability

Baja California's scenic toll road between Tijuana and Ensenada is at risk of another major collapse similar to or worse than one that occurred on December 28, 2013, a scientific expert has warned.

Luis Alberto Delgado Argote, an investigator with the geography department for the division of earth sciences at the Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (Cicese), was cited as the source for the claim in a December 21 story in La Jornada de Baja California.

The federal agency responsible for inspecting the highway, Caminos y Puentes Federales de Ingresos, has ignored the presence of multiple active zones where the earth is shifting, according to the geologist.

In addition, said Delgado Argote, a beltway constructed around Ensenada six years ago by the state could cause major landslides if there is heavy rainfall as expected this winter because “there is no evidence that they performed geological studies before they began the work.”

Scientists from Cicese have been warning federal highway officials of the danger of a disastrous collapse along the highway since 2006, but they were ignored until the 2013 disaster, according to La Jornada.

The roadway, known for its spectacular seaside views, remained closed for nearly a year while repairs were made after the landslide.