The City Council of Santa Cruz will initiate the acquisition of a total of 23 privately owned plots, out of 26 in total, to facilitate the urban development project along the TF-180 highway. The project is set to cover the road stretch from Vistabella to the Cervecera area, aiming to enhance the flow of traffic and pedestrians along this crucial link between Santa Cruz and La Laguna.
The revamping of this vital intersection will be a collaborative effort between the City Council and the local administration, with a projected investment of €11.5 million. The funding will be divided with €8 million contributed by the island’s authorities and the remainder by the city council.
Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez, alongside the Infrastructure Councilors and local district representatives, presented the upcoming works to the residents of the affected area last Tuesday. The Mayor highlighted that the project will lead to “a complete overhaul of the TF-180 into an urban thoroughfare, replete with reconfigured traffic flow, enhanced parking facilities, widened sidewalks, green spaces, modern street amenities, and energy-efficient lighting.”
“This main Santa Cruz-La Laguna highway,” the Mayor revealed, “will feature a total of eighteen pedestrian crossings equipped with traffic signals, a significant increase from the current three.” Additionally, he mentioned that “the redesigned urban road will boast three lanes for vehicular traffic, two descending and one ascending, each 3.25 meters wide, a notable improvement from the current single lane in each direction.”
Infrastructure Councilor Javier Rivero elaborated, stating that “while 26 plots are impacted by the acquisitions, one plot has been redefined which eliminates the need for its acquisition. Two other affected plots are owned by the government entities, the city council and the Canary Islands Government, hence 23 private landowners will be directly involved in the process.”
NO RESIDENCES AFFECTED
Councilor Rivero emphasised, “In contrast to the situation in La Laguna, where residential properties were affected during the road expansion, this project will not involve the acquisition of any homes. However, front yards may be affected, resulting in a loss of a few meters, or undeveloped plots will be impacted.”
Dámaso Arteaga added that “we have engaged with the residents of the Vistabella and Vuelta a los Pájaros area to review the transformation plan for the TF-180 between Vistabella and La Cervecera, a segment that solely spans the municipality of Santa Cruz and prioritises the safety of pedestrians at road crossings.”
