Will to end traffic queues in the North

President, Angel Victor Torresdetailed yesterday together with his namesake in the Island Council, Pedro Martín, and the Minister of Public Works, Highways and Housing of the regional Executive, Sebastián Franquis, the projects promoted and already awarded, both technical and labor in this legislature. In total, 13 of the 16 planned, 81%, have been developed since 2019. Socialist politicians argue that all these initiatives are intended for Tenerife to “get on time and make up for lost time” regarding the modernization of its public roads and improving road mobility, especially in the North. They report that since 2019, 353.3 million euros have been awarded in works and 7.3 in relevant technical projects. Among them are two sections of the closure of the Insular Ring, the aforementioned Guamasa-La Laguna bypass and the third lane Orotava-Guamasa.

The Government is confident that this month of December progress will also be made at a good pace on the section from Icod to San Juan de la Rambla of the Anillo Insular and on the La Laguna-Bajamar road. Torres underlines the importance of unlocking the previous funds from the Highway Agreement after the negotiation with the central government, which avoided a new judicial process and gave 407 million more, from 1,200 to 1,607, for road investments. Torres and Franquis point out that when they arrived “there was nothing” and on the TF-5, which has not been touched since 2004, “barely drawings and photographs.” In most cases, and except for Las Chafiras-Oroteanda (in the south of the Island), no projects have been drafted and “only two” to be executed.

At the headquarters of the Government Presidency in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Torres highlighted an unprecedented effort that demonstrates the “total commitment” of the regional Executive in solving “one of the main problems of Tenerife.” President Torres values ​​the pact to increase by 407 million euros the 1,200 to invest in the area until 2027 of the Agreement in force. Another 500 of surplus (with which almost 1,000 are completed) have been able to be used in general expenses, in which the Government of Canary Islands considered more relevant. Among the latter, having awarded 353.3 million for roads in Tenerife.

Torres announces that the last week of the month will be signed with the Minister of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, Raquel Sánchez, the addendum to complete the agreement with those 407 million. He anticipates one more future agreement because the forecast in the Archipelago is 600 million euros to solve all the roads pending construction.

Pedro Martín, president of the Cabildo de Tenerife, assured for his part that the “most serious mobility problem on the Island is concentrated in the TF-5, “where neither projects nor budgets existed”. For this reason, he said, “from the Cabildo we have insisted – his tablemates confirmed it – on the importance of focusing on solving the problems of this path.” They pass, from the outset, through three works: the La Laguna bypass, the closure of the Insular Ring in the San Juan de la Rambla-Icod section, plus the western one – the El Tanque-Santiago del Teide with the Erjos tunnel already at 70% and completion of the work scheduled for March 2025– and the third lane from La Orotava to Guamasa». Martín points out that these three projects are already finished, pending environmental evaluation, “and it has not been easy” because they have had to negotiate with Aena or the Army.

The island president anticipates that “we will continue with the monthly meetings to follow up on the projects. My confidence is that these three actions advance and next year will be the start of the works, what the citizens of this island.” He has requested that, as in the Erjos tunnel –an upcoming visit is scheduled– work will be done morning, afternoon and night and even on Sundays and holidays. “So that next year the blades can already be seen,” she says. Martín remembers that “a project is only underway when it appears tendered in the Official Gazette.” Torres, for his part, argues that “a work is finished when it is opened to traffic.”

Four of the 13 ongoing projects of the 2018-2027 Highway Agreement are in the construction phase. The Minister of Public Works points out that so far this legislature they have awarded works and projects for 360.7 million euros on the Island. The Americas and the Santiago del Teide Landscape Integration and Environmental Restoration Project – 353.3 million have been invested, while another 7.3 million were invested in technical projects. Franquis highlights that “we have made a serious planning effort” in Tenerife. He adds that “today, we can practically have the Ministry’s library full of projects so that they can begin their bidding process in the coming months.”

Understanding with discomfort

Franquis claims to understand the discomfort of thousands of Tenerife residents who suffer retention every day on the TF-5, but also indicates that the work in these three years “had to be done and it is the least visible part.” For example, the preparation of complex technical projects and the completion of procedures such as environmental impact statements. Sebastián Franquis insists that “the citizens of Tenerife have reason to be angry about the traffic difficulties they are experiencing.” But he also claims that “we have put everything in our power to promote the main projects.” He appeals to the “social consensus” with all the essential works.

The Minister of Public Works values: «The great advantage that the Government will find in the next legislature, unlike what happened to us, is that 90% of the projects foreseen in the Highway Agreement for Tenerife will be finished». “That future Government of the Canary Islands will have the capacity to carry out the works as the corresponding tenders are completed,” he concludes.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Public Works has already awarded five projects in the southern region of Tenerife, mainly to provide a third lane to the TF-1 from Güímar to Las Américas; that is, 55 more kilometers. There is also an emphasis on promoting projects in the north, where there is a work underway and five projects to improve the corridor in the area.

Projects already awarded

The projects already awarded to improve the TF-5 are the closure of the Island Ring, San Juan de La Rambla-Icod, with an estimated budget, when this work is tendered, of 170 million euros; the third lane of the TF-5 Airport-La Orotava and Bus-vao Santa Cruz-La Orotava, with an estimated budget of 300 million euros for the works; the third Guamasa-Airport lane, with a planned budget of 55 million euros, and the La Laguna bypass, which, given the complexity of the work, is estimated to cost 300 million euros.

As a complement to these plans, the project for the La Gorgolana-Mesa Mota tunnel has been awarded, which allows access to an average of 22,000 vehicles per day from Bajamar, Tegueste, Tejina and Punta del Hidalgo to the TF-5. With a budget of 70 million euros.