Footbridge Opening Scheduled for Spring After Delays
The latest forecast from Tenerife’s Island Council (Cabildo) is to open the Padre Anchieta footbridge to pedestrian traffic by the end of April or early May. The final completion of the works, which includes the removal of 13 pedestrian crossings and civil works in the surrounding area, is slated for 30 June. This is provided no further setbacks arise, as explained in a council plenary session by the Councillor for Mobility and Highways, Dámaso Arteaga.
Political Row Over Costs and Contract Management
Arteaga accused the previous island government, led by Socialist Pedro Martín, of attempting to terminate the contract with the awarded company. “If it had been up to you, you would have cancelled the contract and there would be no footbridge,” Arteaga stated in response to criticism from Socialist councillor Aarón Afonso. Afonso had reproached the current administration for three contract amendments and the project’s cost escalation from €7.8 million to €13.1 million.
Afonso recalled that construction began in November 2021 with an 18-month deadline, and during the current mandate there have been five extensions to that period. “So the management record of CC and PP at the helm of the Tenerife Cabildo is that they have given in to the contractor’s demands, who have got their way,” he said.
Dispute Over Quality and Construction Standards
The Socialist councillor also criticised visible rust on the footbridge. He claimed the latest approved amendment was related to problems with the material used in the footbridge and the need for a specific paint treatment for dampness in the area “that nobody knew about,” he added ironically. Afonso accused the island government of being lax in demanding the company meet minimum quality standards and adhere to established deadlines.
In his rebuttal, Dámaso Arteaga countered that before the PSOE left the presidency of the Cabildo, the works should have been finished, and that none of the footbridge pieces that were supposed to be installed had been put in place. He denied there were any problems with rust or anything else, stating, “What’s happening is that there are areas that are not finished,” which are the ones visible in the photo brandished by the Socialist councillor.
A Landmark Project for Mobility and Safety
“We are going to finish brilliantly a unique project that will be a landmark in the landscape of La Laguna and the TF-5 motorway, and which will improve mobility and safety for pedestrians,” Arteaga proclaimed.
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