They have been 42 years with a claim that no administration has paid attention to despite the fact that security is at stake. Tired and the residents of the neighborhood of La Rambla, in San Juan de la Rambla, demand a safe entry and exit from the TF-5.
For two Sundays they have been organizing protests to expose a claim that they consider “more than fair” because it is a black spot in the municipality in which accidents have already occurred and despite this, “nobody does anything”, it is all good intentions that later are not specified.
The starting point is at 12:00 under the neighborhood mill, where they install a banner that reads: ‘For a safe entrance and exit to the Rambla’. From there they go to the town center and return. For an hour they follow the same route with signs in the car indicating their request.
The entrance to the neighborhood dates from the 1960s, even before the expansion of the road, which was carried out a decade later. It is close to the coast and therefore, people who do not have a car have to cross it to be able to take public transport. The same as many tourists and visitors, since it is a place very frequented by the Ruiz ravine and the Camino Real.
Those affected clarify that they are not asking for pharaonic works but simply to enable a central entry and exit lane that at the same time serves as a shelter for people who have to cross the highway to use public transport.
Also horizontal signage “which does not exist today”, indicating where to enter and where to exit depending on the direction. “There is nothing, just the highway signage with a dashed line to go to Los Realejos or to San Juan de la Rambla,” they point out.
They give as an example the nucleus of Santa Catalina, in the neighboring municipality of La Guancha, located two kilometers away, which has a painted entrance and exit and an island with a central lane. They want something similar.
A proposal was drawn up and about two months ago a representation of residents of the neighborhood attended an interview with those responsible for the Cabildo de Tenerife “but they came very dissatisfied because they did not contribute anything,” says one of those affected.
The citizen petition goes beyond the fact that the neighborhood is included in the section of the San Juan de la Rambla-La Guancha Insular Ring, since the project of the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Housing under the General Directorate of Road Infrastructure of the Government de Canarias does not include it in the layout despite being a point of high influence as it is the gateway to and from the Northwest region. Moreover, when this section is completed, the traffic will be even denser and more dangerous, they stress.
“In all the elections they have included our claim in the electoral program of the different political parties. We have been demanding a solution for 42 years and nothing has been done. We know that it is an island road, but the City Council has to put more pressure on it and has the full support of the residents for it”, they insist.
“I agree with them, you can’t wait any longer”
The mayor, Ezequiel Domínguez, considers the neighbors’ demand fair. “So many years, uncertainty, meeting and proposing so many times, and the situation is getting worse. I agree with them. I think that La Rambla cannot wait for more rings or more years but rather it is an action that should already be budgeted and valued to carry out an execution, whatever it may be, but that provides security and is definitive”. The road is also of regional interest so “I invite both the Cabildo and the Government of the Canary Islands to undertake an action that is urgent”
