Pablo Rodríguez, the Minister of Public Works and Transportation for the Government of the Canary Islands, declared on Thursday that the allocation for the completion of the island ring in the Santiago del Teide-El Tanque segment will be increased by an additional 20 million euros following the second modification of the project. Furthermore, a third modification has been assured, which will incorporate two lanes in each direction throughout the entire Erjos tunnel.
This project, regarded as the most significant within the road agreement, is currently undergoing the drafting of the second modification aimed at enhancing both technical and environmental elements.
The processing of this modification experienced delays due to a complaint from a UTE that had participated in the tendering process. This matter has been resolved through negotiations, along with the payment of compensation amounting to nearly 14 million euros due to an error in the contract award. Fortunately, a new environmental impact statement will not be necessary for the project, thus expediting its processing.
Regarding the expansion to four lanes in the Erjos tunnel, this addition is anticipated in the third modification. Although this expansion was initially outlined in the project’s tender, its implementation will demand a supplementary environmental impact assessment.
Jonathan Martín, a deputy from the nationalist group, emphasised the significance of this initiative in order to mitigate congestion issues in the southern region of the island ring.
