During peak hours, vehicles merging through the conventional Guamasa entrance (link 14) currently experience significant congestion, leading to queues on the TF-5 highway. Unfortunately, they cannot evade these queues, adding to their daily commute troubles.
In 2024, the Tenerife Island Council will take action to enhance traffic flow for the 800 vehicles entering Guamasa during peak hours by introducing two new “timely and essential” access points. These will offer two additional merging options during rush hour, with the traditional entrance expected to be closed (likely from 6:30 to 8:30 on Mondays). Consequently, outside peak hours – throughout the rest of the day – there will now be three access points to the TF-5 for these vehicles.
Until the completion of these two new and strategically positioned access points, there will be no hour-specific closures at the conventional Guamasa entrance. The construction is anticipated to conclude in the last quarter of this year.
The Council plans to invest around one million euros in these new access options to efficiently direct traffic from Guamasa to the three-lane section of the TF-5 without interruptions, providing priority access. This action aims to benefit both the 18,000 vehicles coming from the north during rush hour and the 800 vehicles accessing from Guamasa, as endorsed by a report from the DGT supporting the strategic closure measure with interventions in the parallel lanes.
While the highway undergoes modernization and the third lane extension towards the north in both directions – a complex project with extended timelines – several additional measures are being introduced at the new Guamasa access points to enhance travel fluidity. These measures include car-sharing initiatives with the ULL, student shuttle buses, redistribution of heavy traffic during peak hours, reorganization of hotel transfer schedules to consolidate movements, a rapid vehicle removal service, among other enhancements.
Existing TF5 Access from Guamasa to Santa Cruz, at Kilometer Point 14
This access point leads to a bottleneck section of the TF-5, with only two lanes and no safety shoulder, where vehicles from both the coastal and mountain sides converge. Historically, speed reductions in this area cause congestion during peak hours. The objective is to minimize additional merges between 6:30 and 8:30 in the morning at this critical juncture, offering two viable alternatives for all drivers.
First New Access on the Former Airport Bridge, at Kilometer Point 12
This new access point, situated two kilometers from the conventional Guamasa entrance, will link vehicles from both coastal and mountain sides to the highway. Vehicles approaching from priority routes will merge onto the three-lane section of the TF-5. Those from the coastal side (TF-152) will cross the old airport bridge, executing a right turn under the bridge to seamlessly join the start of the third lane (white arrow). On the other hand, vehicles arriving from the mountain side (TF-235) will access the highway at the commencement of the third lane, with priority at the roundabout facing the former airport terminal (green arrow).
Second New Access at the Elevated Roundabout Providing Airport Access, Point 11
This additional access point will serve as a secondary link to the TF5 for vehicles that formerly used the traditional Guamasa entrance during rush hour. Vehicles from the TF-152 direction will connect to this elevated roundabout through a new access route, merging onto the TF-5 (white arrow) through the acceleration lane amid the three lanes, known for smoother traffic flow compared to Guamasa. Furthermore, it will offer direct access to the airport for these vehicles, eliminating the need to merge onto the TF-5.
