TF1 extension saga

[Janet]

the last of the testing was carried out on Saturday, and yesterday, the Gobcan roads minister released the photo below, showing the fully loaded lorries filling the bridge ...

The results "show a maximum torsion of 4cm with a recovery time of 5 minutes. The results are better than projected and show the flexibility of the engineering", says José Luis Delgado, Canarian Government roads minister. Delgado added that to many these will just be numbers, but for others, including himself, they "represent a dream come true – a dream that will be reality in less than one week's time".

(because this is my exclusive, I think)

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[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

WAHOO JANET!!!!!!  Well done!!!!!

Perhaps Sunday is the day for a little drive.

I would like to see another picture of a bird or something walking across the bridge with all the lorries and the bridge collapsing.  No, not really.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

I drove through Adeje on my way south today. They have dozens of workers out but I still don't see it being done by Sunday.  I am going through Wednesday and Thursday as well and if there is any big news I will post it. 

[Janet]

Over many years now I have been surprised, and continue to be surprised, at how one looks at works to open imminently and think naaaaaaaaahhhhh not in a million years ...

and then on the day, whatever it is opens as though there were never any doubt. Things take years, and years and years ... but when you think that things look an absolute mess still and that they can never make the final date, they do.

The latest whisper is Friday ...

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

It's open.  We could see cars on the stretch near Tijoco on our water stop with the dogs this morning so when we got back we all hopped into the car and went for a drive. 

We got on in Tejina and drove down to Adeje.  Timing was about the same as going down the TF-82; coming back was slightly quicker. 

It is motorway (120kph) to km 87, then the speed limit is decreased to the north.  There are one or two anomalous "80kph in 360m" signs but otherwise the speed limit remains 120kph. 

The bridge over the barranco de Erques is, in the end, a tiny little thing and you will scratch your head wondering why that was such an insurmountable obstacle for an interminable period of time. 

I was surprised there is no Tijoco junction.  I remember residents were agitating for one but there isn't one.

The road is two lanes from just north of the bridge down to where it meets up with the rest of the motorway.

There was a lot of traffic this morning.  Lots of people with dogs in the back of the car, probably doing the same thing we were.

[Janet]

I was surprised there is no Tijoco junction.  I remember residents were agitating for one but there isn't one.

There is to be one. It was overlooked, and then promised as an afterthought ... and will be done "in the future" ...



I wouldn't hold my breath ...

[Janet]

Martin Lawson on Facebook has very kindly made me a time comparison for the stretch between the old Adeje end of the TF1 and the road for Vera de Erques. The video below shows the round trip, with the left screen showing the TF1 to the new Vera junction, and the right screen with the TF82 to the original Vera junction. So, it's just a couple of minutes saved by the new motorway but if there were a holdup in Los Menores, or a queue between Los Menores and the bridge over the TF1 for the TF82 to join the motorway (a queue which is appalling on many mornings) then that two or so minutes becomes much more ... and the motorway is a much easier drive too.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

OH has gone on a walk today.  He is parking in Piedra Hincada then going south along the spur road to Fonsalía to see what he can see, then will go north to do the same.  He is curious about how much work has been done on the road.  Stay tuned.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

He's come back and walked the whole thing.  He says it is complete and ready for tarring.

[Janet]

Well I think that's incredible, and worthy of some award or other ... probably the Nobel prize for physics seeing as they haven't done any work on it at all!!!!!

and to OH!