Tenerife Commissions New Project to Ease Bus Bottlenecks in Santa Cruz

Transport in the Tenerife metropolitan area is set for a major upgrade. The island council has commissioned a new technical project designed to improve bus access to the capital, Santa Cruz. The contract, worth 258,405 euros, has been awarded to Proyma Consultores. Its primary goal is to fix the current gap between the TF-5 bus lane and the Santa Cruz Interchange—a vital hub that manages over 1,700 public transport trips every day.

This project addresses a long-standing issue on the island, where heavy traffic on the TF-1 and TF-5 highways during rush hour significantly impacts both productivity and the quality of life for residents. The consultancy has 15 months to complete the proposal, with 13 months for the study and two for the final delivery. The plan centers on building an underpass near the Meridiano Shopping Center to bypass the busy intersection at Áurea Díaz Flores Street, which currently creates a major bottleneck for buses.

The Cabildo’s Mobility Department noted that the project is technically complex. The consultants must evaluate several options, including the possibility of a two-way lane and how to handle emergency vehicle access. Additionally, the study will look at whether this new infrastructure can help reorganize private traffic, forming part of a wider strategy to make public transport a more attractive and competitive alternative to driving.

Beyond the engineering work, the contract includes social requirements, such as a mandate that at least 40% of the staff assigned to the project must have permanent contracts to encourage job stability. Through this initiative, the island administration aims to relieve pressure on the roads leading into Santa Cruz, using targeted improvements at key locations to ensure that public transport remains reliable and efficient for the thousands of people who depend on it daily.