There is already a definitive opening date, without a trace of works in sight, for the new San Andrés bridge, which since 1935 links this fishing village of Santa Cruz with the population centers that are behind the ravine. It will be from next December 10, when, as confirmed to DIARIO DE AVISOS by the Infrastructure Councilor of the Santa Cruz City Council, Dámaso Arteaga, the work is expected to be completed, which has been in progress for more than eight months.
“There have been difficulties, due to the problem of shortages that exists worldwide as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, to receive the supplies and equipment to finish the work,” he said. In addition, the mayor explained that “they are waiting for a material that comes from the Peninsula.” Arteaga says that “as soon as this material reaches the Island, it will be placed and installed, and the bridge will be completed.”
Something that he estimates to occur “during the first 10 or 15 days of December, at the latest.” Likewise, the councilor denied that the bridge has drainage problems, as some neighbors had commented as a result of the rains in recent days. And he assured that the only thing that remains to finish rehabilitating it and being able to open it is to place the last layer of tread, as well as the railing, in addition to finishing the part below. “When these three things are present, the bridge can be opened as normal,” he said.
Regarding the removal of the provisional footbridge, Bailey type, installed by the Battalion of Sappers XVI with the collaboration of the Canary Islands Command in the month of July and that has allowed the residents of the massif not to remain incommunicado after the declaration of emergency decreed by the City Council before the deficiencies of the main bridge, the Councilor for Infrastructures confirmed that it will be removed as soon as the opening of the passage takes place. “The Army is waiting for us to begin to withdraw it,” he said.
Until now, this military bridge has prevented residents from having to access their population centers through the highway that connects the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna with the area. A route with many curves, with narrow roads and with a duration of an hour and a half.
Therefore, in the near future, the residents of Anaga will be able to recover normality with a bridge on which they will be able to circulate, as already announced months ago, all kinds of vehicles, even those of large tonnes, such as trucks and buses.
