Gran Canaria Council Awards Eight New Road Repair Contracts

An investment of 5.8 million euros will be allocated to the rehabilitation of 12 island roads damaged by storm Therese.

Image of a road in Gran Canaria showing signs of repair after a storm.
IA

Image of a road in Gran Canaria showing signs of repair after a storm.

The Cabildo de Gran Canaria has approved the awarding of eight new emergency works, with a budget of 5.8 million euros, to repair 12 island roads that suffered severe damage after the passage of storm Therese in late March.

These actions are in addition to those already initiated ten days ago, when an emergency was declared for a total of 18 works aimed at rehabilitating about twenty roads in the island network. The first eight works, covering the ten roads in the worst condition, have been underway for almost a month, even while the storm was still active.
The overall estimated budget by the Cabildo's Public Works Department for all 18 emergency works amounts to 13,390,000 euros, although this figure could be adjusted depending on the progress of the work. With this new award, only two emergency works remain to be assigned.
Among the roads that will benefit from these new works are the Central Road (GC-15) near San Mateo, as well as slopes on the San Fernando-Tejeda (GC-60), Los Cuchillos (GC-65), and Taurito (GC-500) roads. Also included are the GC-505 in Cercados de Espino, the unpaved roads GC-602 (Ayagaures dam) and GC-604 (Las Niñas dam), the GC-324 in Las Meleguinas (Santa Brígida), and the GC-421, GC-423, and GC-422 roads in San Mateo. Finally, a wall will be replaced on the GC-291.
Storm Therese battered Gran Canaria between March 19 and 26, with strong winds and rains that accumulated up to 700 liters per square meter. These conditions caused landslides, collapses, and sinkholes on 22 roads in the island network, especially in the south, center, and peaks of the island, temporarily closing up to 25 roads in a single day.
During the seven days of alert, some 300 workers from conservation contractors and the Cabildo's own staff attended to nearly 250 significant incidents, managing to restore normalcy on most roads within hours or days. However, the extent of some damage still keeps a dozen roads closed or with very limited access, requiring larger repair works that could take several months.