Major Step Forward to Reduce Traffic on the TF-1 Southern Highway
Significant progress is being made to tackle the notorious traffic jams on Tenerife’s Southern Highway (TF-1). The Canary Islands Government’s Ministry of Public Works announced on Wednesday, November 5th, the definitive approval of the project to construct a third lane on the TF-1 between the municipalities of San Miguel de Abona and Adeje. This vital infrastructure project represents a €175.4 million investment and is slated for completion within a 42-month construction period.
Transforming a Key Island Artery
This expansion of the TF-1 is set to have a major impact on one of the island’s primary transport routes. According to Public Works, it will increase the road’s capacity, improve traffic flow, and enhance road safety on one of the most heavily trafficked stretches in the entire Canary Islands. The specific section runs from Oroteanda (San Miguel de Abona) to Las Américas (Arona and a small part of Adeje). The regional government has classified this intervention as “strategic,” a direct response to the sustained increase in traffic in the southern part of Tenerife.
Comprehensive Improvements and a New Hospital Access
The project is far more than just adding an extra lane. The works include a comprehensive remodeling of the key interchanges at Parque de la Reina, Guaza, Los Cristianos, and Las Américas. A standout feature is the creation of a direct access route to the Southern Hospital (Hospital del Sur) located in El Mojón. This will be achieved by widening the TF-28 hospital road into two separate roadways with two lanes each, allowing for direct entry and exit from the main TF-1 highway—a significant improvement for emergency and general access.
Part of a Broader Sustainable Mobility Plan
This highway expansion is one of the priority actions championed by Tenerife’s Sustainable Mobility Plan (Pimsit), which is currently in the process of final approval by the Tenerife Island Council (Cabildo). The Pimsit is a comprehensive program of actions designed to resolve the island’s traffic saturation problems by 2035. Its strategy is multi-faceted, betting on the Southern Train project, a series of road expansions, improved public transport (buses and tram), a massive €1.898 billion investment in roads, and the construction of park-and-ride facilities to reduce private vehicles on the roads.
A Long-Term Vision for Tenerife’s Transport
The Pimsit’s vision includes deploying third lanes on the Northern and Southern highways, completing the Insular Ring, building alternative routes like the TF-5 variant in La Laguna, and even burying a section of the Southern highway as it passes through Adeje. A key modern element is the potential implementation of dedicated lanes for buses and high-occupancy vehicles (technically known as bus-VAO lanes) within the new third lanes, using cutting-edge technology to maximize their efficiency.
Tackling Chronic Congestion Head-On
The need for this project is clear. The Pimsit confirms that the Southern Highway “presents a widespread problem of saturation due to the high volume of traffic, primarily caused by a lack of capacity at the interchanges of the most important towns.” It details that “for example, frequent traffic jams occur in Guaza and Los Cristianos,” and notes that “the poor functioning of these interchanges causes backups that spread to the main trunk of the highway.”
Smart Technology for a Smarter Highway
Beyond simply adding asphalt, the plan proposes incorporating an intelligent transport system into the new third lane. This would allow it to function as a priority lane for buses or high-occupancy vehicles. The Pimsit elaborates that this approach would create a “clear and coherent alternative aligned with the new transport policy for road infrastructures,” effectively implementing a system that increases capacity from the perspective of island-wide public transport. The overall action is complemented by the modification of the Chafiras interchange and the construction of the Oroteanda interchange, which is already underway.
