Night road works in Marsa and Santa Venera
Transport Malta yesterday night launched several road works along different parts of the arterial route between the Santa Venera tunnels, Santa Venera, and Triq Diċembru 13, Marsa.
These works, which will continue for several days, form part of three major ongoing projects to upgrade the quality, safety and efficiency of this part of the arterial road network. These infrastructural investments consist of the widening of the Marsa-Ħamrun bypass, the upgrade of parts of Triq Diċembru 13 and its junctions, and the Marsa Junction Project, including the development of a seven-flyover intersection on Triq Aldo Moro and the introduction of new facilities for alternative modes of travel between Marsa and Paola.
Marsa-Hamrun Bypass Project
The first works starting tonight and continuing round the clock for several days include trenching on the slip road connecting the south-bound carriageway of the Marsa-Ħamrun bypass to the Qormi-Santa Venera roundabout, beneath the flyover along the same bypass and Triq Ħal Qormi (Maltapost offices area). These trenching works are required for the laying of new underground utility and telecommunications distribution networks being developed as part of the €5 million project to add two new lanes to the Marsa-Ħamrun bypass. These additional lanes, which are expected to be open to road users by the end of the year, will eliminate a number of difficulties that currently cause major traffic delays. Among other things, the project will do away with the two lanes that currently merge at the south-bound exit of the Santa Venera tunnels. A new uninterrupted lane towards Qormi and Santa Venera is being built instead.
Due to the extent of the trenching works involved, this slip road will be closed for several days. Road users travelling to Qormi or Santa Venera through the Marsa-Ħamrun bypass are encouraged to use alternative routes. Public transport routes that normally go through this slip road are also being diverted to other nearby roads to ensure that bus schedules are not disrupted.
Triq Di`cembru 13 upgrade
Meanwhile, over the next few days, other road works will be taking place, both during the day and night, on Triq Diċembru 13, along the same north-south arterial route. While these works may necessitate temporary lane closures to ensure worker and road user safety, Triq Diċembru 13 will remain open in both directions at all times. Works that may have a greater impact on vehicular flows are scheduled to be carried out late at night to avoid interruptions at peak times.
The ongoing works form part of a €2.5 million investment launched a few weeks ago to upgrade parts of Triq Aldo Moro, Triq Diċembru 13 and the MarsaĦamrun bypass, eliminating several accident black spots and improving travel time through these arterial roads.
Within a few months, this project will upgrade the four-kilometre stretch of arterial roads linking the new infrastructure being developed as part of the Santa Luċija roundabout tunnels project and the Marsa Junction Project (Addolorata Cemetery area), to the Marsa-Ħamrun Bypass Project in Santa Venera. It includes the redesign and reconstruction of Triq Aldo Moro’s roundabout junction in the Salib tal-Marsa area, the widening of parts of Triq Diċembru 13 and the Marsa-Ħamrun bypass, and the development of several dedicated lanes to facilitate safer connections between these three arterial roads. The one-lane slip road linking the north-bound carriageway of Triq Diċembru 13 to the Marsa-Ħamrun bypass will be widened to accommodate two dedicated lanes. Similarly, the slip road linking the south-bound carriageway of this road to the same bypass will be rebuilt to introduce a continuous lane, reducing the risk of collision.
Besides eliminating a number of accident black spots and improving travel time, air pollution caused by vehicles queuing at junctions should also decrease.
Drivers and other road users travelling in this area are encouraged to proceed with caution and to follow the temporary reduced speed limits and diversions indicated by road signs. Transport Malta personnel are also on site to guide road users while works are in progress.