SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 3 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The President of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, together with the Minister of Public Works, Transport and Housing of the Government of the Canary Islands, Sebastián Franquis, have supervised today, Friday, the status of the construction work on the highway between Santiago del Teide and El Tanque that It forms part of the Tenerife Island Ring Closure project, works that have already passed their halfway point and are heading towards the final stretch after having invested more than 104 million euros in them in the 38 months that they have been carried out.
This work, the most important in terms of investment of all those that the Government of the Canary Islands has underway, was awarded in 2019 for 241 million euros, although the price updates applied to the works have led to an increase in the budget to 256 current millions. Of this global budget, 18 million are dedicated to environmental actions in the area.
In statements to the media, Torres recalled that a few months after coming to the Government, the contract was signed “in extremis” for this work to begin because there was only one month left until the Environmental Impact Declaration (DIA) expired, “which It would have meant that it couldn’t have been done.” In this sense, the president highlighted the work of those who allowed the contract to be signed in these circumstances: “Since then, the work has been carried out without paralysis despite being one of the most economically valuable on the islands, some 300 million euros with price reviews, and one of the most relevant in the country”.
The head of the Executive also stressed that the longest tunnel in the Canary Islands is being built, with 5.1 kilometers with two two-way lanes, and that 3 kilometers from the south to the north and 1 in the opposite direction have already been completed, 80% of the work done. “Perhaps it is not striking when it is done underground, but it is the most important work in the history of the Canary Islands,” he stressed.
Torres was satisfied with the pace of the work and also stressed the importance of resolving the conflict over the highway agreement with the State “after disputes and lawsuits because we sat down at a table and negotiated it with the Government of Spain.” “This supposes 1,600 million works in execution or to be executed. In addition, we managed to use the surplus (another 500 million) for current spending, dependency, health, education or whatever the Government deems necessary,” he added.
He also recalled that of the 16 road projects committed to the agreement for the island of Tenerife, a total of 13 are already in execution or committed, with the recent approval of the DIA for the section of the island ring between Icod de los Vinos and San Juan de la Rambla, as well as for the variant of La Laguna. “Faced with words and stories, we show actions and data, and that is what citizens want: governments that solve problems, and many of us have solved them, such as the highway agreement and this work on the largest tunnel on the islands,” he said. .
“ONE BEFORE AND ONE AFTER”
The president of the Cabildo, Pedro Martín, assured that this work “marks a before and after in the communications of the north and south of the island” and announced that in 2023 “the start of two other works will be published that will mean a change on the roads and will undoubtedly help to solve the traffic problem we have on the TF-5, such as those from Icod de los Vinos to San Juan de la Rambla and the section of the TF-5 that goes from Guamasa to the lower part of La Laguna, which have already approved the environmental impact statement”.
Sebastián Franquis pointed out that the work will end in March 2025, since the work “is not having the problems that others have had in other parts.” In addition, and according to him, “a modification to be approved in the short term is being studied to comply with what the PIOT says, with two lanes in each direction, something that the previous government did not consider, which tendered it with only one lane.”
ROAD TO SAVE THE MASSIF OF TENO.
The new section, which when finished will join the rest of the TF-5, is 11.3 kilometers long and includes the Erjos double tunnel, the longest in the Canary Islands and which enables it to cross the Teno massif. To expedite its excavation, drilling is being carried out simultaneously in the 4 mouths without interruption in a triple work shift until its completion. Drilling is done mainly by blasting and, if the terrain makes it necessary, by mechanical means.
Until now, the aforementioned 80% of the tunnel has been excavated in progress, corresponding to 3,860 meters for the right tube and 3,645 meters for the left tube, with just over two kilometers remaining between the two tubes. The daily excavation advance in each tunnel is 15-20 meters. With these data and this level of work, it is expected that between July and August of this year, 2023, both tunnel tubes will be laid.
This work directly employs 102 workers between operators and specialized personnel who work in three eight-hour shifts, seven days a week. This work also indirectly employs another 204 workers among suppliers, drivers or restaurant staff who serve the workers. The works of the island ring in the section Santiago del Teide and El Tanque began in November 2019 and its completion is expected for March 2025.
