SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 28th February (EUROPA PRESS) –
The mayor of La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, and the president of Tenerife Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, have announced the joint effort of both authorities to promote the project for the TF-5 variant. This initiative aims to bury the highway as it traverses La Laguna’s urban area, “removing the blemish that currently scars our city,” stated the mayor.
Furthermore, the president disclosed plans to introduce a third lane between Guamasa and Tenerife North-City of La Laguna Airport, in a downward direction, with an estimated cost of 55 million euros funded by the Cabildo. This lane, along with other connectivity improvements, will enhance mobility in the region. A meeting between the technical teams of both entities is scheduled in the upcoming days to discuss and analyse these developments in the area.
This announcement followed a productive working meeting to advance various shared projects in housing, roads, water infrastructure, constructions, transportation, and historical heritage, among other aspects.
The mayor expressed gratitude towards the president and her team for the collaborative approach undertaken by the insular Corporation to convene this meeting and provide updates on critical issues pertinent to the municipality. “Ensuring seamless communication between institutions to benefit the residents was paramount for us. This meeting has been highly productive,” added the mayor.
“We understand that close collaboration is essential to materialise pivotal projects envisioned for La Laguna, and we are committed to working diligently towards these objectives from both teams,” highlighted Luis Yeray Gutiérrez.
As for the Cabildo president, she mentioned that concurrent meetings on various areas have taken place to address specific concerns related to housing and water management. “We are on the right track with a solid collaboration ethos, grounded on dialogue and attentive consideration towards citizen viewpoints,” the island president accentuated.
On the topic of road interventions, both leaders affirmed an agreement to urbanise certain road intersections in La Laguna’s urban fabric, presently under insular ownership, by incorporating sidewalks, lighting, street amenities, and subsequently transferring them to the City Council for municipal ownership. This process will encompass the Las Mercedes highway, San Miguel de Geneto, San Bartolomé, and the TF-16 routes.
Additionally, updates were provided on the progress of the Padre Anchieta walkway works, set to be operational by the first quarter of 2025, and plans for refurbishing the Interchange building. The latter will necessitate relocating bus parking at Avenida Ángel Guimerá during the construction phase, which is anticipated to endure over a year. Moreover, efforts are underway to renew the urban transportation agreement, encompassing the integration of new buses.
Water Management Initiatives and Housing Strategies
Concerning water-related initiatives, both the City Council and the Cabildo concur on the critical need to progress a strategic investment plan for infrastructure. For La Laguna, particular emphasis will be placed on the desalination plant in the Northeast Region, which aims to rectify water supply challenges in this part of the municipality,” as stated by the mayor.
Rosa Dávila revealed plans to expedite the infrastructure development process, which, despite requiring an investment exceeding 35 million euros and falling under regional ownership, is expected to take a minimum of 28 months for implementation. Hence, the Cabildo intends to deploy portable desalination plants temporarily to mitigate the emergency situation and sustain agricultural water requirements.
On the housing front, the president outlined the Council’s intent to catalyse the acquisition procedure for three Ministry of Defense barracks in the municipality (El Cristo, Ingenieros, and Ofra) to secure land for residential construction. A meeting between both authorities is slated for Thursday.
The status of home replacement endeavours in the Las Chumberas urbanisation, ongoing works at Finca Escuder, and collaboration in historical heritage preservation and property restoration in the historic centre were among the topics deliberated during the meeting. Both the mayor and the president indicated forthcoming sectoral and technical meetings to monitor progress on these matters impacting La Laguna municipality.
