Tenerife Residents Demand Urgent Safety Upgrades for Dangerous TF-180 Road

Road safety in the Tenerife metropolitan area is back in the spotlight following complaints from residents living between La Vuelta de Los Pájaros and Vistabella. According to Diario de Avisos, a lack of improvements to the TF-180 road has left pedestrians facing constant danger while navigating heavy traffic in poor urban conditions.

The core of the issue is a dispute over responsibility between the Cabildo of Tenerife and the Santa Cruz City Council. While the Cabildo manages the main road connecting the capital to La Laguna, the City Council is responsible for the surrounding streets and urban environment. Residents feel caught in the middle, describing the area as abandoned due to a lack of basic infrastructure, such as proper sidewalks, lighting, and pedestrian crossings. The situation is made worse by the area's steep terrain and the presence of nearby schools, which puts children and people with limited mobility at significant risk.

Plans to turn the road into a pedestrian-friendly corridor were first announced in 2021, but progress has been slow. The Urban Planning Department recently finished expropriating 26 plots of land, a necessary step before the Cabildo can put the construction project out to tender. While officials hope to begin this process by the end of the year, residents remain skeptical about when the work will actually start.

The Santa Cruz City Council says it is currently cleaning and clearing the sides of the road, but residents argue this is not enough. They point out that because public transport is inadequate, many people are forced to walk along the road in unsafe areas, putting them at risk of being hit by vehicles. Solving this problem will require both local and island authorities to finally coordinate on a project that has been a top priority for the community for over a decade.