New Tunnel Planned to Alleviate Los Cristianos Traffic
The Canary Islands Government’s Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Mobility has put out a tender for a preliminary study to define a new route connecting the port of Los Cristianos with the Southern Motorway (TF-1). This initiative, led by the General Directorate of Road Infrastructure, comes with a budget of nearly €600,000 and a 14-month timeframe for completion.
Tackling Port-Generated Gridlock
The primary goal is to update and develop a proposal that addresses the severe traffic chaos in the town, which is largely caused by port activity. Public Works is considering several actions, most notably “the design of a tunnel that will directly connect the dock to Chayofita Avenue.” This aims to more efficiently channel the traffic both generated and attracted by this key port infrastructure.
A Complex Engineering Challenge
This new underground access route presents a unique challenge as it will tunnel through a volcanic pyroclastic cone with buildings on the surface—specifically, Chayofita Mountain. This demands a detailed feasibility study and preliminary ground treatments to guarantee the safety of all existing buildings and installations. The comprehensive study will include a geological and geotechnical survey of the land, a traffic analysis of all roads converging in the intervention area, and a traffic volume campaign.
Selecting the Best Alternative
Beyond these technical aspects, the document will evaluate the level of service of each road. Using a multi-criteria analysis, it will select the most suitable alternative based on functionality, economic viability, and environmental impact. The most recommended option from this study will be the one developed in the subsequent route and construction projects, as confirmed by the Ministry.
Funding and Project Integration
Both this initial study and the subsequent route and construction projects are backed by a €5 million contribution from the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility. Interested companies can submit their proposals via the Public Sector Procurement Platform until 2:00 PM on September 19th.
The Ministry has stated that this process was initiated to deliver improvements to the accessibility of the port of Los Cristianos and its connection to the TF-1. The aim is to “define improvement alternatives that provide a level of service from the port to the high-capacity network that matches the infrastructure’s importance,” given that it is one of Spain’s ports of general interest with the highest passenger traffic.
Coordinating With Other Major Projects
The company awarded the contract must ensure its proposals are compatible with other ongoing developments in the area. This includes the ‘Third Lane of the TF-1’ project, specifically the San Isidro-Las Américas section (Oroteanda-Las Américas subsection), which is currently being drafted by the same Road Infrastructure authority.
Furthermore, the Tenerife Cabildo’s Road and Mobility Technical Service is also drafting the Project for the Los Cristianos Interchange and the Burying of Chayofita Avenue. Therefore, the compatibility between the measures planned in both contracts must be carefully analyzed to ensure a cohesive solution.
The Scale of the Problem
The port of Los Cristianos is the busiest passenger port in the Canary Islands, recording over 2.3 million passengers last year alone. As the main maritime connection to the western islands of La Gomera and La Palma (known as the “green islands”), its high saturation level is a major contributor to the town’s frequent traffic collapses.
Previously proposed solutions have included expanding the port’s capacity (which faces significant public opposition), building a new port in Fonsalía (an option now discarded), or relocating maritime traffic to the ports of Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Granadilla. The new tunnel study represents the latest effort to solve this critical infrastructure bottleneck.
