Bridges Martín Peña Bridge | ||
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The Martín Peña Channel (Spanish: Caño Martín Peña) is a body of water in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The similarly named Martín Peña is a neighborhood adjacent to the channel.
Map of Ca%C3%B1o de Mart%C3%ADn Pe%C3%B1a, San Juan, Puerto Rico
The channel runs from San Juan Bay in the west to Laguna San José and Laguna Los Corozos in the east. It separates the barrio of Santurce on the north side from Hato Rey Norte, Hato Rey Central, and Oriente on the south side.
The channel is strewn with trash, breeds mosquitoes, and is a health hazard for nearby residents. Due to the narrowing of the channel over time, the area is subject to frequent flooding, including raw sewage from buildings with insufficient sanitation.
The Caño Martín Peña ENLACE Project Corporation (Spanish: Corporación ENLACE del Caño Martin Peña, English acronym ENLACE) is a corporation owned by the Puerto Rico government, created to improve the local sewage system. As of 2016, ENLACE has spent $120 million from the territorial government on sewage improvements. Implementation of a $600 million ecosystem restoration plan that will dredge the canal depends on resolution of the Puerto Rican government-debt crisis and federal funding for assistance from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corp of Engineers.