Like every Sunday of the last month, at twelve noon, the residents of San Juan de la Rambla demanded a safe entry and exit from the TF-5 to the La Rambla neighborhood. On this occasion the protest turned into a demonstration, for which authorization was requested from the Government Subdelegation, and which ran through the town center to conclude at the entrance to the neighborhood. This demonstration caused strong retentions in the area, slowing down the traffic that was circulating in both directions.
The neighbors have been waiting for 42 years for a solution that, despite what was pointed out by the Cabildo, which announced the construction of an underpass, they do not finish believing, so they have decided to continue the protests.
As they advanced a few weeks ago to DIARIO DE AVISOS, after the demonstration this Sunday, they do not rule out taking other pressure measures such as holding sit-ins in front of the Government of the Canary Islands and the Cabildo de Tenerife, the two administrations with powers in matters of Roads and therefore, those that must offer alternatives to this black point of the municipality in which several accidents have already occurred. “It is incredible that no one in charge of these two administrations has contacted the neighbors,” lamented the spokeswoman for the Platform Todos con la Rambla, Adela Abreu.
The Platform defends that after more than 40 years of patient waiting, the protests have now begun because the traffic has increased, especially with the road from Icod to El Tanque, which many citizens of the North use to go to the South and the traffic is denser, both to go out and to go in. “And it will be even more so when the section of the Insular Ring that passes through the municipality is finished and, therefore, the danger will increase.”
Solutions
From the Cabildo first, and then the Government of the Canary Islands, it was explained last week that an underpass will be built in the area, since the upper part can be diverted by the route of the old road. A solution similar to the one carried out in Oroteanda, with the diversion of traffic from the TF-5 along the old road, which will allow the highway to be dismantled without affecting traffic, build a concrete structure and when it is covered, traffic will be replaced “on a road already prepared and safe” so that in the future it connects with two lanes in each direction.
However, neither of the two administrations speaks of deadlines to execute this solution, contrary to what the neighbors demand, who demand actions in the short term. At the moment what they want to implement is a solution that is already on the table, with the intention of having the work awarded before the end of the year and for this it is essential to obtain the environmental report and make the final approval in the summer since that will allow it to be tendered.
