Tenerife is modernizing its ring road: more sun, less concrete.
In Tenerife, the project to complete the ring road has been revised, with the addition of solar power plants and ecological materials to reduce emissions and improve tunnel safety.
On the Canary Islands, a decision was made to slightly modify the project to complete the ring road on Tenerife, between the towns of El Tanque and Santiago del Teide. This will cost 21.5 million euros, which is 8.9% more than originally planned.
According to local authorities, these changes will help reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere, use less fossil fuel, and make the tunnels safer.
What will change:
- A solar power plant will be built above the tunnel, which will generate electricity for the road's needs.
- The tunnel lining will be replaced to use less concrete and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
- The ventilation, lighting, communication, and control systems in the tunnel will be updated to make it safer.
Also, another solar power plant will be built near the southern entrance to the Erjos tunnel. It will provide approximately 16% of the electricity needed to operate the tunnel.
This road is part of the so-called Western Ring, which will connect the north and south of the island. It will allow faster travel from one side of Tenerife to the other.
The road will have one lane in each direction, and it will be possible to drive on it at a speed of up to 80 kilometers per hour. The total length of the road is 11.3 kilometers, and half of it will pass through tunnels.
The largest tunnel is Erjos, with a length of 5.1 kilometers. It will allow bypassing the Teno Reserve and the village of Erjos without harming nature.