Authorities have urged the population of Tenerife to consider remote work and online education on June 12, anticipating a significant impact on traffic due to Pope Leo XIV's visit. Temporary road closures are expected on the TF-5 highway and access points to Santa Cruz de Tenerife and La Laguna.
The mobility plan for this event was the central topic of an initial technical meeting involving the relevant institutions. A second meeting is expected after representatives from the Vatican visit later this month, to finalize the event program details.
“"Excessive use of private vehicles on that day would be the worst news."
Citizens have been advised to plan their journeys in advance, including trips to Los Rodeos Airport, and to opt for public transport whenever possible. Local councils and the Church are organizing bus transfers to Santa Cruz de Tenerife to facilitate attendance at the mass the pontiff will offer at the port.
The papal visit will also include a stop at the migrant center in Las Raíces, which will entail additional mobility meetings for the areas of La Laguna and El Rosario. Efforts are underway to ensure the trip proceeds as smoothly as possible, acknowledging the logistical challenge it presents.
To ensure healthcare access, an exclusive lane is being designed for buses, public transport, emergency vehicles, and security vehicles near hospitals. This includes coordination with medical helicopters to ensure a rapid response to any eventuality that could prolong a road closure and compromise an urgent transfer.
Authorities consider this visit one of the biggest organizational challenges, contemplating all possible variables, including the possibility that the pontiff may not be able to land at Los Rodeos due to fog. A deployment of 1,200 national police officers from the Peninsula is planned, in addition to the Civil Guard in the port area of the capital of Tenerife.
