Stormy weather triggers traffic chaos in historic town
When rough seas batter the port of Garachico, all traffic from the only road connecting the Isla Baja region – the TF-42 – is diverted through the historic heart of the town. The result is controlled chaos, but the constant flow of vehicles leaves a trail of damage to the municipality’s historic and cultural heritage.
Historic first: Cabildo acknowledges the damage
For the first time, the Cabildo de Tenerife has formally acknowledged this harm, unanimously approving a motion to provide €650,000 in compensation to the people of Garachico. The subsidy will be used to improve the internal roads that serve as an alternative route when the seafront avenue is closed.
Key works: cobblestone repairs and resurfacing
The main intervention will be the relaying of cobblestones on Calle Esteban de Ponte, although work will also be carried out on the cobbles around the Church of Santa Ana, the Plaza de Abajo, and other affected points along the diversion route. In addition, roads near the Red Cross, the streets of San Sebastián and Eutropio Rodríguez de la Sierra, the area around the Glorieta de San Francisco roundabout, and other sections on the route towards Buenavista del Norte will be resurfaced. It is estimated that the tender for the works will be published within the next two months.
‘A sacrifice for the common good’
The compensation is the result of demands made by Garachico Town Council to the island authority. The mayor, Heriberto González (CC), believes his municipality is making “a sacrifice by allowing all those vehicles to pass through the historic quarter.” He noted that “this subsidy represents the first explicit recognition by the Cabildo that this situation causes damage for which neither the council nor the local population is responsible.”
According to the mayor, “we allow traffic through the interior streets to avoid isolating or inconveniencing neighbouring towns, even though the diversion includes private cars, public transport, lorries, and other heavy vehicles.” He maintains that these urban roads are not designed to repeatedly bear the traffic of an island highway. “The weight, volume, and frequency of vehicles are deteriorating the cobbled streets and pavements of the historic centre. Although the streets are municipally owned, the Cabildo will finance their repair because the damage is linked to their use as an alternative to the TF-42, which is the responsibility of the island corporation,” he explained.
Additional €400,000 for pedestrian improvements
Furthermore, Garachico’s historic quarter will receive a facelift thanks to a €400,000 subsidy from the Directorate General for Cultural Heritage of the Government of the Canary Islands. The aim is to renovate and replace the paving on pavements and pedestrian crossings, improving mobility for walkers. Concrete will be replaced with natural stone and other high-quality materials to enhance the aesthetic integration, particularly along the edges of the heritage area.
The specific streets to be upgraded have not yet been confirmed, as technicians are currently drafting the project and assessing the work sector by sector to determine which sections can be improved within the budget provided by the regional government.
Deadline: before the San Roque pilgrimage in August 2027
The mayor of Garachico has set his sights on completing all these works in full before next year’s San Roque pilgrimage, scheduled for August 2027.
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