The debate over traffic congestion in South Tenerife has intensified, with Adeje’s PSOE calling for urgent action to restart a long-delayed motorway expansion project.
Summary
The proposed expansion of the TF-1 between Fañabé and Las Américas—designed to ease one of Tenerife’s worst traffic bottlenecks—has been stalled since mid-2025 despite having funding, an approved plan, and a signed construction contract. The delay is now sparking political tension and growing concern among residents and businesses.
What’s happening?
The project, part of the Canary Islands–State roads agreement (2018–2027), includes increasing capacity through collector roads and a “false tunnel” design.
Originally approved and awarded in May 2023 for over €90 million, the works were expected to take four years to complete. However, construction was halted in June 2025 by the Department of Public Works, which also began proceedings to terminate the contract.
Since then, progress has been minimal, with only around €600,000 spent out of more than €37 million allocated in regional budgets.
Why it matters
This stretch of the TF-1 is one of the busiest on the island:
- Over 100,000 vehicles use it daily
- A 10 km journey can take more than an hour at peak times
The knock-on effects are significant:
- Estimated economic losses exceed €500 million per year
- Increased fuel consumption and commuting stress
- Tourists facing long delays when travelling to the airport
Political tension
The situation has been further complicated by recent statements from the President of the Canary Islands Government, who questioned the project’s technical viability and ruled it out for the current term.
This has drawn criticism from Adeje PSOE, who argue that the project has already been technically validated and budgeted for in previous years.
PSOE’s position
The party is calling for the project to resume immediately under its existing framework.
They argue:
- Cancelling the contract would mean starting from scratch
- A new tender process alone could take four years
- Full completion could be delayed by up to a decade
Instead, they suggest addressing any technical issues during construction rather than abandoning the project entirely.
The bottom line
Adeje PSOE is urging the government to move forward in 2026 using already allocated funds, warning that the south of Tenerife cannot afford further delays to such a critical infrastructure project.