Project will take around two years or slightly less to conclude, Infrastructure Malta CEO says

Detailing the project, the head of Infrastructure Malta’s Planning and Design Unit, Robert Zerafa, said that at its highest point, the current road – which is technically already a flyover – will rise by a maximum of around 1.5 metres, which will create the necessary headway to cater for the traffic beneath it.

The currently existing underpass – which is an extremely narrow and low bottleneck for traffic which feeds into a very disorganised traffic area where one can either choose to drive up towards Pender Gardens or down towards Bay Street – will be totally replaced by something of a roundabout which provides a much more organised connection between the two localities, it was said.

Describing the project, Infrastructure Malta CEO, Ivan Falzon, said that it is very similar to the type of intervention which was built at the Kappara Junction only a few kilometres away : traffic flow on the main road – in this case, Triq Mikiel Anton Vassalli – will be uninterrupted and thereby more efficient, while the directional traffic will be organised in a better manner beneath said.

Falzon said that plans for the project will be filed with the Planning Authority in the coming days.

He estimated that the project it, he will cost somewhere between €40 million and €50 million, depending on the method statement which the authorities may require, and will take around two years or slightly less from start to finish.

Falzon said that Infrastructure Malta’s team is currently working on how the project can be phased while causing as little disruption as possible, but he noted that this is a major project so there will be some “pain” to endure when built.

He said that there was “strong” consultations with the local councils concerned, and noted that their own proposals had served to improve the final product, particularly from a more local aspect.

Additionally, the project will upgrade the stormwater system to better manage rainwater through improved catchments and discharge points.

The project is part of the ongoing improvements to the TEN-T arterial road network and is designed to facilitate better access to these communities, improve safety and encourage active mobility.

Falzon meanwhile shared that works on the project next to the Luxol grounds are slightly ahead of schedule, with the area being fully opened to traffic last Saturday at 5pm. He said that works still remain on Triq Normandy, while landscaping and signage have to be completed as well.

He said that works are expected to be finished by the end of the month.

Asked about the Msida junction project, Falzon said that the tender bids are still being evaluated. it is being