Tenerife projects his first funicular in Garachico to unite the town with the neighborhood of San Juan del Reparo either The Butt, since it is known by both names. This is how it is designed by Island Sustainable Mobility Plan, Now on public exhibition, which the Cabildo commissioned to analyze the future of the road in the next two decades, the infrastructure has an estimated cost of 16 million euros and is expected to reach 1,100 meters in length to overcome a difference in level of 525. Funiculí, funiculà sang the great tenor Luciano Pavarotti in one of his greatest hits. He put on his unique voice to perform the famous Neapolitan melody that commemorates the opening of the Mount Vesuvius funicular. It will be necessary to compose another song like that of Luigi Denza in 1880 if this first similar project ever becomes a reality on the Island. Tenerife Council currently maintains in information for the presentation of allegations the first phase of the analysis and diagnosis document aimed at designing future mobility on the Island with two time scenarios, 2035 and 2045. Among the 23 alternatives, proposals or projects is this funicular between Garachico and La Culata.
The frame
The Village and Port of Garachico has 4,920 registered inhabitants (2022) in its just over 29 square kilometers (it ranks 21st in terms of area among the 31 municipalities of Tenerife), San Juan del Reparo is one of its eight population centers with 560 residents. The first precedent of the idea of joining the town (1,780 registered people) with one of the remote neighborhoods with orography complicated by the slope, dates back to 2006. It came from the engineer of Caminos Canales y Puertos, Luis Pintor, who proposed the construction of a funicular between Puerta de Tierra square located next to the town and the Mirador de La Culata.
The project
At the viewpoint there are large parking terraces that could even be increased. The tourist visit to Garachico could be made by accessing this parking lot with buses and private vehicles and then descending on the funicular and thus avoiding the current traffic chaos that originates in the center of the northern municipality. The chosen route – in principle, according to the plan sheet, for ecological reasons- It is the left area of the valley located on the back of the Villa. This space has a rocky part located to the East and another covered with lapilli (small volcanic stones) to the west of the depression that forms it. Build in the area lapilli, Despite being more favorable due to the uniformity of its slope, it has the problem that it will be greatly affected by how many earth movements are carried out to cement the supports. Meanwhile, the rocky eastern zone limits the impact to the foundations for that support. The total length of the route is 1,100 meters; The planned operating speed of 8 meters/second with which the duration of the trip, including the periods of acceleration, deceleration and crossing of cabins, is three minutes and the throughput of passengers per hour is 840 in each direction.
The objective
The installation and its characteristics would be similar to those of the Moleson funicular in Bern (Switzerland). The proposal for the funicular linking the municipality of Garachico with San Juan del Reparo is an attempt to efficiently communicate the neighborhoods that make up the municipality, of which San Pedro, El Guincho, La Caleta, Genovés and Las Cruces are perfectly connected by the Icod de los Vinos-Buenavista highway. Missing San Juan del Reparo and La Montañeta, which connect with Garachico through the municipality of El Tanque on a six-kilometer road with a terrible layout, despite the small distance between them, which is approximately one kilometer. The reason for this poor communication is the difference in level of San Juan del Reparo and La Montañeta, located above 525 meters above the town of Garachico. Their demand will be covered by residents and tourists from the upper area of the Icoden-Daute-Isla Baja region.
The drawbacks
The planning document emphasizes that “this proposal can be re-analyzed as an alternative resolution and support for the connection studied, implemented through a public-private concession.” But it also concludes: “It would also be necessary to analyze its environmental and landscape impact and not only its functionality, which is debatable from the point of view of island transportation, since it only serves to alleviate a local problem of mobility of tourists and workers in this area of the island”.
The infrastructure
The funiculars are linked to the railway tracks by cables and the cars travel at an angle of 189 degrees. They are especially located in cities or other areas where there is a steep slope that makes access on foot difficult. They are a safe and economical way to explore a destination or use a daily means of transportation. There are not many examples in the world but there are some especially emblematic ones. Among the most famous in the world are those from Italy, Canada, Switzerland or Portugal listed below.
The examples
Pizza and shopping aren’t the only things it offers Naples, in the south of the Italian boot. The city has not one, but four funiculars: the Chiaia, the Montesanto, the Centrale and the Mergallina. A daily means of transportation for 28,000 travelers. The Centrale is among the busiest in the world and is one of the largest, at 1,000 meters high. In Canada, Niagara Falls has two of the four operating cable cars in the country. Among them is Hornblower’s, tilted and 75 years old. Provides a wonderful and unique way to see the famous waterfalls. Back in Europe, the steepest funicular on the continent is located 2,000 meters above sea level. Drive to Lake Gelmer in Bern, the capital of Switzerland. Each car seats 24 passengers while taking in the stunning Alps. The 12-minute ride is something no one should miss.
There is no better way to travel the steep slopes of Lisbon, Portugal, than on one of the city’s oldest means of transportation: the Ancestor of Bica. The funicular cars were first built in 1892, but were modified and reopened in 2005. The cars travel a distance of 245 meters from the Rua de Bica de Duarte Belo until Sau Paulo. It runs on electricity and descends an 11% slope. Finally, again in America, located an hour from Pittsburg, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is known for many infrastructures. After a historic series of floods and as a sign of efforts to help save its civilians, the Johnstown Plane became a form of transportation that offered visits to the public and not just a personal emergency service.
