Proposal for an urban road network in Marsa

Virtually every commuter wishing to travel from most of the southern part of the island to either the central or north regions has to pass through the industrial town of Marsa.

A number of arterial roads - namely Sta Lucija Avenue, Sir Paul Boffa Avenue, Aldo Moro Road, Labour Road and Giuseppe Garibaldi Road - intersect at a point between Marsa and Paola immediately outside the Maria Addolorata Cemetery.

During most of the day, particularly during the morning rush hour, the location has hosted a remarkable congestion of vehicles ever since the substantial increase of traffic on the roads.

A few years back, a solution was proposed and carried out to ameliorate the prevailing situation. This was the fashionable remedy of a traffic light system, like the one which was handsomely implemented in Tal-Barrani Road.

However, the situation in Marsa is different. A non-continuous traffic flow is unacceptable since the traffic light usage (although not operating as atrociously as at the Kappara junction) still permits the accumulation of traffic during the busier times of the day.

In addition, the 'bus lane' in Aldo Moro Road has adversely affected the traffic-carrying capacity of the Marsa area road network. Hence an alternative road network is being proposed.(1.)

The project would essentially consists of the construction of an urban road network similar to ones found in other parts of Malta to provide a smooth traffic flow. Comparable road networks exist in other parts of the island; nevertheless it is impossible to produce an identical copy of existent networks and fitting them at Marsa.

Each particular problem has its own individual solution so, at most, one could only adapt concepts evident at the Tal-Qroqq interchange and St Venera by-pass for the Marsa project.

It is no easy task trying to illustrate all the concepts that lead to the final planning of any project, let alone such an infrastructural one. As with every other project of such dimensions, one must first of all plan the work in a structured manner, allowing the project to follow a number of steps.

The best manner to describe in as much detail as possible the notions behind the construction of the road network is that of describing fundamental concepts underlying the specific phases of the development of the various components of the network.

These vary from aesthetic ones to structural ones, from the practical realisation to the embellishment of the site. The most important thing when undertaking this project is to create a harmonious atmosphere between all these concepts to bring into being the road network.

The crucial notion is restricting the possibilities of creating an unpleasant feeling caused by careless planning, unawareness of which would be detrimental to the commuters making use of the network itself. And the final proposal should be financially feasible and provide an improved condition for motorists and pedestrians alike.

The aim of this project is to create a continuous flow for traffic coming from and going towards Marsa, catering for all possible routes to and from surrounding areas. To simultaneously provide this, a network (through the construction of a tunnel and a viaduct) has been devised to allow safe and logical routes for various options without interfering with each other.

The different routes are: from Marsa to Cottonera (Labour Road to Sir Paul Boffa Avenue); from Marsa to Paola (Labour Road to Sta Lucija Avenue); from Paola to Marsa (Sta Lucija Avenue to Aldo Moro Road); from Paola to Luqa (Sta Lucija Avenue to Garibaldi Road); from Cottonera to Luqa (Sir Paul Boffa Avenue to Giuseppe Garibaldi Road); from Cottonera to Paola (Sir Paul Boffa Avenue to Sta Lucija Avenue); from Cottonera to Marsa (Sir Paul Boffa Avenue to Aldo Moro Road).

The site of the project is already developed and calls for redevelopment. Hence, the need arises for some present constructions to be altered or at times even demolished.

The first task would be the demolition of a section of Malta Shipbuilding. The part of Malta Shipbuilding to be pulled down is a low-lying structure of offices, for which an alternative site can easily be found within the grounds of Malta Shipbuilding itself.

The next stage is imperative and consists of describing to the general public a detour route which can be followed while the site is closed for traffic. The best alternative route would be via Giuseppe Garibaldi Road in Luqa for motorists heading from the south, while commuters from Cottonera could be diverted to the same road through Paola centre.

The final stage would be uprooting any trees, electrical cable pylons and the existing traffic light system, which would interfere in the project once construction progresses. Any trees removed in this phase can be replanted either on the project site or in an optional spot. The second phase is perhaps the most time-consuming, labour requiring and also costly of all. This phase involves the infrastructural work itself, i.e. the actual construction of the tunnel and the viaduct.

The first task is the excavation of rock to form the necessary depression into the ground, which will eventually be the tunnel. At both ends, there will be an inclined plane at a proper gradient.

The open ends of the tunnel should have sufficient headroom to allow heavy vehicles to pass through without causing any damage to the structure or otherwise. The road forms part of the main route for many trailers heading for Malta Freeport at Kalafrana and it is imperative that the height and width of the tunnel are of suitable proportions to cater for such vehicles.

Next step after the digging of the tunnel would be the construction of necessary retaining walls on its sides. Such walls are usually made either of reinforced concrete cast in situ or of precast block units; this has the advantage of a decreased construction time.

The tunnel is then completed by placing pre-stressed precast concrete slabs over the completed walls, ensuring that proper expansion joints are designed to avoid any future damage to the structure due to expansion and contraction of the slabs.

While the tunnel shaft is being dug and spanned, construction on the viaduct can commence. The first step is to build two adequately sloped ramps on either side of the road leading from Cottonera to Marsa.

Such ramps are composed of retaining walls forming the perimeter and then filling the inside with properly compacted fill. The span is then bridged by means of pre-stressed precast concrete slabs.

The concluding task for the second phase of the project would be the laying of a suitable storm water drain system which will make use of the two existent reservoirs in the area. This system should be designed to cater for any rainwater which could possibly flood the tunnel. Being at the foot of a steep hill (Sta Lucija Avenue) the site should be accurately scrutinised to avoid flooding.

Once construction is ready, the site should meet the requirements of modern traffic and safety regulations and should also look aesthetically pleasant.

Firstly, the road surfaces will be asphalted, the thickness and proper composition of which will be determined technically.

The design is to be in accordance with the design principles stipulated by the Roads Directorate of Malta, according to the expected road capacity and lifetime. These are estimated from statistical records of vehicles passing through a particular area at different times of the day.

The next task would be the fitting of a street lighting system. The cables required for this would be passed underground, hence laid before roads are asphalted. The reason for this is to avoid having a congestion of cables overhead lest these cables should break and create a safety hazard.

The next step would be the laying of adequate sidewalks for any pedestrians who may be in the area. Hence, all sidewalks should have ramps for people with special needs using wheelchairs or people pushing pushchairs.

The next task would be fitting road barriers, traffic signs and printing all the necessary traffic road lines, according to international traffic standards. It is essential for the drivers making use of the network to know which lane they are ought to take, hence the direction signs are to be fitted at a considerable distance from the point of choosing the correct lane.

The final task of the project would be the planting of trees in open areas and shrubs on central strips. This means that in every new construction (and also in the development of existing sites, as in this case) the architect or planner must do his utmost not to disrupt the natural environment.

While hoping that this proposed plan will eventually be considered, I am positively sure that the flow of traffic in this area will ameliorate and the environment in the south of Malta will be embellished.

Karl Micallef is a 22-year-old Architecture and Civil Engineering student in his fifth year of studies at the University of Malta.

References:

1. The proposal was originally developed as part of an academic project for the Systems of Knowledge Technological project in May 2001.