Road built on clay in 1980s proves 'complicated' to redo

The Mtarfa bypass linking Nigret, limits of Rabat, with the roads built using Italian protocol funds, will soon be opened to traffic, Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett said during an onsite visit last week.

Mr Mugliett said constructing this stretch of road had been complicated because it had been built on clay in the 1980s. A retaining wall, which is 10 storeys high at certain points, had to be built to prevent the road from collapsing, the minister said, adding that the Malta Transport Authority had never encountered such difficulties when it came to rebuilding a road.

The 1.3-kilometre road has a number of water drainage canals to prevent rainwater from damaging the retaining wall, as well as new pavements. It cost Lm1.2 million.

Mr Mugliett said the government was forking out Lm60,000 to rebuild Mtarfa road, the road leading to the village. It was the last residential road in the area that had to be built by the government.