APEC Road Closed Again After Wall Collapses

Channel One

State-run Channel One broadcast images of the collapsed retaining wall in Vladivostok's Pervomaisky district.

Primorye police closed astretch ofhighway built forthis month's Asia-Pacific Cooperation Summit after aretaining wall supporting theroad collapsed, news reports said Monday.

Theroad closure, which occurred late Sunday inVladivostok's Pervomaisky district, followed alandslide that caused bedrock underlying thewall tomove, RIA-Novosti reported, citing asource inthe regional administration.

Igor Peterimov, acting head ofthe Primorye region's road maintenance department, told RBC that thecontractor responsible forthe affected section ofthe Novy-Patrokl road would finish reconstruction work within aweek.

Authorities closed asection ofthe same road inJune after heavy rains damaged aseparate retaining wall andswamped several private garages. Atthe time, officials blamed thedamage onbuilding contractors' failure toinstall adequate drainage after Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered those responsible tobe punished.

Unlike inJune, however, theroad surface was not damaged Sunday, anda nearby gas pipeline remained intact, according tothe news agency.

Thesource added that police were redirecting traffic andthat emergency workers andadministration officials quickly arrived onthe scene tomonitor thesituation. Prosecutors are running acheck intothe incident, inwhich there were no casualties.

Sunday's road closure is thelatest embarrassment forPrimorye region officials, who have been accused ofmisspending billions ofrubles offederal money inthe buildup tothe APEC summit, which finished Sep. 9.

Theentire Novy-Patrokl road was constructed ata cost of29 billion rubles ($950 million), RBC reported, 21 billion rubles ofwhich came fromfederal coffers.

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APEC Road Closed Again After Wall Collapses