After more than two years of anticipation, the Faneque double tunnel is finally set to open this Friday, marking a monumental milestone in the completion of the second phase of the new La Aldea highway in Gran Canaria. The stretch, connecting
Following rigorous testing to ensure seamless operation and the construction of two connecting roundabouts to the existing GC-200, everything is in place for the handover of the double tunnel to the Government of the Canary Islands tomorrow, Wednesday, although the official transfer of management to the Gran Canaria Cabildo is scheduled for Friday, bringing with it a heightened sense of excitement and anticipation.
"This marks the beginning of a two-month period dedicated to refining any potential imperfections in the project," announced Augusto Hidalgo, the Public Works Councillor of the Cabildo. He added, "These tunnels, equipped with state-of-the-art safety technology, will set the benchmark for all future subterranean sections of the island's road network." Technicians from the Cabildo gave their approval after conducting a thorough inspection of the facilities last week.
The double tunnel, measuring 2,050 metres on the seaside lane, heading towards Agaete, and 2,100 metres on the land side, heading towards La Aldea, will initially be monitored from the control centre in the first phase of the new road, the La Aldea-El Risco section. Subsequently, control will shift to the tunnel control centre located on the GC-1 at Puerto Rico, all interconnected with fibre optics.
The journey through these tunnels is expected to take a mere 1.5 to 2 minutes, compared to the current 8-minute drive along the GC-200, depending on the prudence of each driver and weather conditions. This time difference is attributed to the superior characteristics of the tunnel route, covering a distance of 2.5 kilometres compared to the 3 kilometres on the GC-200.
Inside the double tunnel, an array of advanced equipment awaits commuters, including 16 ventilators, four galleries connecting the two tubes every 400 metres, 225 speakers, 36 SOS posts, 20 hydrants, 550 light points excluding emergency lighting, a closed-circuit television system with 50 cameras, a pipeline for collecting flammable liquids, and 40,000 square metres of waterproof lining.
While the rest of the second phase of the new La Aldea access is not expected to open before the end of 2026, the completion of the Faneque double tunnel marks a groundbreaking achievement in enhancing road safety and connectivity in Gran Canaria.
