Marsascala Bypass reopens
Photo: Paul Spiteri Lucas
The Marsascala Bypass was reopened this morning following an investment of €9.6 million, including €6.2 million forked out by the European Union.
Transport Minister Austin Gatt said that the south was now benefitting from major road projects, which also included Valletta Road, Zurrieq, on which work was progressing well.
Since Malta became an EU member, €37 million were invested in arterial road projects. This did not include the extensive patching works in the network and work on local roads.
The minister said that there was currently an appeal on the tender for four important projects. This would determine whether the financial package would be opened or if the partial technical evaluation process would have to be restarted.
Once all adjudication processes are concluded, works would be able to start on Garibaldi Street, Luqa, Council of Europe Road, Marfa Road, the road leading from Tal-Hniena to Victoria, Gozo and the first part of the the Sea Passenger terminal road in Marsa.
Preparations would then be embarked upon for works to start on the Mellieha Bypass and on the underpass from December 13 Road, Marsa to Menqa.
The preparations for the studies connected to the Kappara junction and eventually the Coast Road from Pembroke to St Paul’s Bay were currently being undertaken.
Dr Gatt said that works on 26 kilometres of road would have been started on completed between 2005 and 2013.
The minister said that the work on the Marsascala bypass was concluded only 28 days after the target finish date and this was partially due to a change in drainage plans.
There were also additional works relating to services and the work had to be stopped for some time because it was believed there could be historic remains.
The work was also completed according to the budget which was allocated for it, except for a minimal difference because of an increase in services.
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Claire Busuttil
May 16th 2010, 11:15
@Jesmond Abela, ma tantx tidher wisq li inti objettiv u li qed tahseb mohhok!!! il bypass hi haga tajba li saret.....ovvjament.....imma kemm hawn aktar toroq x isiru.....u li ilhom imweghda li isiru fil futur qarib, u dan il futur qarib ma jasal qatt. Dak li ridt infisser fuq din il kwistjoni. Issa rigward, li Malta imxiet ghal quddiem. Jien ta persuna objettiva ghal kuntrarju tieghek se nighdlek ghala imxiet il quddiem. Imxiet il quddiem, ghax kien hemm PM-Mintoff, li, ghamel f` Malta is servizzi socjali,infakrek li kien hu, li ta il possibilta li kulhadd jistgha imur universita..b xejn, u mhux is sinjuri biss kif kienet qabel. Infakkrek li kieku ma kienx hu, ma hemmx children`s allowance, ma hemmx relief, ghal min jispicca bla xoghol, u hafna aktar... Min naha lohra, kien il gvern nazzjonalista li dahal t teknolojiga gol pajjiz, bhal computers u hekk, kien il gvern nazzjonalista li fetah s suq ghal prodotti li qabel ma konniex naraw......imma li tinsinwa li kien il gvern nazzjonalista li ghamel il progress f Malta.....tkun qed tighd gidba. Kieku il Maltin jitghalmu jahsbu b mohhom, kieku Malta timxi hafna hafna aktar il quddiem.
Jesmond Abela
May 15th 2010, 23:03
@ I Galea tider li int infurmat sew fejn jidhlu taxxi...... pero nahseb kollox zmerc ghandek. Saqsi lil ex minsitru socjalista tal finanzi u tara jekk il VAT mhiex l-aktar taxxa gusta li tezisti fwicc id dinja. Tghidx cucati li dahhalna il VAT imhabba EU , ghax anki jekk ma thalniex VAT tibqa l-ahjar taxxa. Hemm pajjizi li lanqas qedin fl ewropa ahseb u ara fl EU li addottaw il VAT. Mohhkhom biss biex tfajru l figuri. Biex tkun kuntent bit taxxa ta 65% ma nafx fejn tista tasal izjed.
quote
Dak u iktar ħadna u nibqgħu nieħdu bis-sħubija fl-UE sakemm nitilqu kif għandna kull dritt, jedd u setgħa li nagħmlu..
unquote
EU is there to stay. U sa fejn nafu MLP accetta wkoll, pero nahseb on paper only but deep down you are still against it. IPOKREZZIJA GRASSA
lgalea
May 16th 2010, 08:31
Sur Abela, iċ-ċuċati qed tgħidhom int. IL-VAT iddaħħlet bilfors fuq l-ordni tal-UE għax hija għandha sehemha minnha u għalhekk iddaħħlet. Iva, it-taxxa tal-VAT hija l-aktar taxxa INĠUSTA u IMMORALI għax ma tħarisx lejn id-dħul tal-persuna u kemm jekk inti sinjur u kemm jekk inti fqir xorta waħda trid tħallasha anki jekk inti ma tkun tinqabad bl-Income Tax għax ma jkollokx dħul biżżejjed. Dik hija l-INĠUSTIZZJA u l-IMMORALITA' tat-taxxa tal-VAT sur Abela.
Dwar l-UE jekk taħseb li billi l-partiti politiċi jaqblu mal-UE se nibqgħu hemm għal dejjem neħħiha minn rasek għax jekk il-partiti politiċi ma jibdlux it-triq huma se jbatu u fl-aħħar mill-aħħar tal-poplu tgħaddi mhux tal-politiċi mixtrija. U jekk taħseb li l-UE hija hemm għal dejjem biddel il-ħsieb għax lanqas l-ikbar imperi ma baqgħu aħseb u ara imperi mibnija kontra r-rieda tal-popli ħalli l-politiċi u d-dittaturi tal-UE jistagħnew minn fuq il-popli. Fl-UE għad trid issir rivoluzzjoni li r-rivoluzzjoni Franċża u r-rivoluzzjoni Russa ma jkunu xejn ħdejha tagħmel x'tagħmel l-UE u kulħadd jieħu li ħaqqu talli qed jaħqru lill-popli.
lgalea
May 16th 2010, 08:34
ps
dwar ipokrezija gerassa aħjar tħares ftit lejn il-partit tiegħek matul is-snin għax b'garanzija li l-ipokrezija tiegħu tant hija grassa li ma jeżisti l-ebda prodott fis-suq li jista' jneħħiha.
Joe Mallia
May 15th 2010, 21:43
St. Paul's Bypass, Zebbug - Rabat Road, Mgarr road and now Marsaskala road. One common thing. Where are the bike lanes. While Europe is promoting the use of the bike as a clean mode of transport, local infrasture for bike use is practically inexistent. What plans for Zurrieq road? Probably the same result.
victor vella
May 15th 2010, 21:06
A big WELL DONE to all involved in the works , from the minister who is finally responsable to the workers who did the work , the contractor who allwayad one of the directors on site and to the people who co operated.It is amazing yes that the works were completed on time can we know the amount of agriculture soil that was buried there by the previous builders of the road?
Claire Busuttil
May 15th 2010, 19:26
@Jesmond Abela, naf li din t triq kienet ta periklu kbir, ghax emmini naghddi hafna minnha.....pero dal hafna ringrazzjamenti lil gvern u lil ministru etc etc....huma naqra esagerati.....wara kollox dak huwa dmirhom....suppost ghandhom jaghmlu hafna aktar affarijiet tajba, milli fil fatt qed naraw.
Li Malta marret il quddiem.........., ghax il progress hekk ried....il bqija standard of living ta hafna nies, lura mar u mhux il quddiem!...jekk ma taqbilx ma dawn il fatti, sinjal li ghandek lenti quddiem ghajnejk, li ghal grazzja ta Alla jien ma ghandiex...u allura nista inkun objettiva!
Jesmond Abela
May 15th 2010, 22:40
Ms Busuttil, jekk taghaddi mit triq spiss imissek tkun kuntenta wkoll mela li fl ahhar saret it triq kif suppost u bla ebda perikolu. Jekk nuru lapprazzament taghna ghal xi haga tajba nahseb li mhemm xejn esegerat. Jien nixtieq ukoll li nara lil Malta taghna b' aktar sucessi pero ma ninsewx li sfurtunatament Malta mandiex rizorsi hlief lil haddiema Maltin. Pero iridu nammettu li filwaqt mhemmx zejt,gas,faham etc etc Malta dejjem baqghet mixja bis success taghha, u iva ghal grazzja t'Alla dejjem bqajna sodi. Ma ninsewx li hemm hafna beneficcji bxejn bhas sahha u ledukazzjoni u iktar beneficcji. Malta marret il quddiem ghax kellha gvern li kellu direzzjoni tajba. Inutli tghidli li il progrees hekk ried. Ghad dinja il progress ma bediex fil 1987 imma ferm qabel. Ghal Malta ikolli nghid li IVA il progress beda minn 1987. if you were around before 1987 you should know what i am talking about......U jekk vera trid tkun objettiva trid tghid kollox, inkella tkun biss distruttiva. BTW mandiex lenti quddiem ghajnejja jmma mohh biex nahseb.!
M Abela
May 15th 2010, 23:23
@Jesmond Abela
Quote"Ma ninsewx li hemm hafna beneficcji bxejn bhas sahha u ledukazzjoni u iktar beneficcji" Dawn sarru b'xejn wara l-1987, jew wara 1971. Nahseb li lenti hoxna ghandek quddiem ghajnejk. Bil kontra tieghek, jien nagseb li-kemm il-Labour wara 1971 u kemm in-Nazzjonalisti wara 1987 it-tnejn taw kontribut kbir biex qedin fejn qedin il-lum. Wara 1971 il-Labour bena il-welfare state u gab hafna investimenti bhall-SGS, Megabyte, Dowty (trelleborg)etc, u waqaf kumpanijij ta success bhall-Airmalta li minaghjra la kien ikun hawn Lufthansa teknik u lanqas SR tekink. U in-Nazzjonalisti wara 1987, zvillupaw fuq li kien hemm u fethu u illiberalizaw is-swieq u dahluna fil-EU. Belive me...kull partit fil-gvern, fl-ewwel ghaxar snin dejjem ghamel gid kbir...u din hija history. U "histroy repeats itself"....hopefully!
James De Giorgio
May 15th 2010, 19:24
Congratulations to the government and their efforts to get us into the EU. Good roads are certainly high on every driver's mind in Malta.
I would definitely go for the extensive restructuring works needed on the MRIEHEL road, the aqueducts one, to be clear. Such a busy throughfare, how is it that no-one has saw fit to restore that road?
Peter Spiteri
May 15th 2010, 19:13
Prosit ħafna tat-triq. Jien ngħaddi ħafna minn hemm u kuntent li lestewha. Prosit ħafna lil kuntratturi tax-xogħol siewi li għamlu. Id-dawk ġie tajjeb ukoll. Gluck għal xogħlijiet oħra simili.
Francesca Abela
May 15th 2010, 19:06
Nice road BUT where are the lay buys in case a car stops?? Why is there such large wide pavements where nobody walks or lives? What about if an accident happens in the bend right near the re-cycling plant where the road is now one lane and there is a pavement and a barrier so if there is an accident NO cars or ambulance will pass!! X'gennata hbieb. Even a simple bumper to bumper will cause traffic chaos in this stretch because all cars will be jammed and cannot move.
Ccharles Massa
May 15th 2010, 18:42
Sur Gatt tiftahar ghax ftaht triq u bil fondi tal EU. Bit taxxi li inhalsu imissu ghandna kullimkien bit tarmac sew u mhux bil patching ghax gie il Papa. Iddahhaqx
Peter Bonnici
May 15th 2010, 19:45
Sur Massa, kieku il-poplu sema` mill-Labour, u bqajna barra l-UE, kieku ir-rati tal-income tax baqghu gholja daqs kemm kienu fiz-zmien il-labour (sa 65% ghal giehna, u ceilings hafna aktar baxxi mili huma illum), u it-toroq kienu jibqghu isiru bhal ma kienu. Jigifieri, gaffa jghaddi min go l-ghelieqi, steam roller jwitti, inwaddbu kocc zrar, u mitt haddiem tal-PWD iwaddbu il-qatran mil-watering cans!!. Mbghad inhallu il-karozzi jghaddu min fuqhu biex jiccattja. U xorta kienu jigu jiswew il-miljuni dawn it-toroq Alla jbierek.
Tghallmu xi haga ghal-darba, qabel ma tfattru xi hmerija.
lgalea
May 15th 2010, 21:43
Peter Bonnici bid-dħul ta' Malta fl-UE qede inħallsu ħafna aktar milli qatt konna nħallsu qabel. Daħlet il-VAT fuq l-ordni tal-UE li għandha sehemha minnha, qed inħallsuha €182,192 kuljum bħala miżata tas-sħubija u li l-UE tista' tgħolliha kull meta trid, id-dazju u l-levies li niġbru jmorru kollha għall-UE waqt li aħna nħallsu l-ufficċjali tad-dwana biex jiġbruhom, tlifna l-flus tal-Protokoll Taljan, qed nitilfu l-imgħax fuq ir-riservi li kellna nibgħatu fil-Bank Ċentrali tal-UE fui Frankfurt milflok qed neħduhom aħna, intlejna bill-ħaddiema barranin u l-immigranti illegali li kollha qed jieħdu xogħol u ħobż il-ħaddiema Maltin u l-familji tagġhom....Dak u iktar ħadna u nibqgħu nieħdu bis-sħubija fl-UE sakemm nitilqu kif għandna kull dritt, jedd u setgħa li nagħmlu..
John Vassallo
May 15th 2010, 17:39
I can't understand why this road was made a single carriage way both ways when there is enough space for it to be two carriage ways both ways. What about crash barriers? How about Labour Road in Zabbar also known as Triq il-Grigalata due to its "smooth" surface?
S. Pulis
May 15th 2010, 17:29
Sur ministru,
In-naħa t'isfel ta' Malta jibbenefika la dduru dawra sew it-toroq li għandna mdamdmin:
Triq il-Labour - Ħaż-Żabbar u oħra fiż-Żajtun
Triq Hompesch - Ħaż-Żabbar
Triq iċ-Ċawsli - Ħaż-Żabbar u ż-Zejtun
Triq il-Foss - Il-Fgura
Triq ta' Wied il-Għajn - Ħaż-Żabbar
Triq il-Kunsill tal-Ewropa (jew tal-QAMAR?????) - Ħaż-Żabbar
Inkunu rġiel u nammettu li l-Bajpass ta' Marsascala saret għax ta' kuljum jgħaddi minnha l-Prim Ministru. Ma saret għal ĦADD izjed. L-ohrajn li jgawduha jfakkruni fil-parabbola tal-Għani u Lazzru, fejn tal-aħħar kien jistejqer bil-frak li jaqa' mill-mejda tal-għani.
Mhux 2 toroq biss hemm in-naħa t'isfel ta' Malta. Ilna 23 sena nistennew 2 toroq! Jonqos 23 sena oħra biex tagħmlulna 2 oħra!
Peter Bonnici
May 15th 2010, 19:52
Sur Pulis, Biex wiehed jaqbad il-bypass ta' Wied il-Ghajn, jkollu l-ewwel jghaddi mit-toroq li semmejt. Anki jekk nghaddu min-naha ta St. Edwards. Allura, ahseb qabel ma titkellem ghax l-argument tieghek fazull ghal-ahhar !
A Camilleri
May 15th 2010, 20:24
I am sorry to differ on this but the bypass was done because heavy traffic needs to pass to the St Antnin recycling plant and for no other reason. Bring on the rubbish ....
A. Calleja
May 15th 2010, 17:16
Let us hope a new smoother straightened Marsascala Bypass doesn't claim lives as happened at Mdina Road Zebbug & St.Paul's Bay Bypass. Let us be responsible drivers!
charles spiteri
May 15th 2010, 16:51
issa mux dalwaqt jibdew ihafru din it trieq
S. Camilleri
May 15th 2010, 16:41
Unbelievable!! Finished practically on time and in budget (?). Must pinch myself!!!! IS this still Malta we're talking about?
I beleive congratulations are due :)
Anthony Caruana
May 15th 2010, 16:27
Mur gib xi pajjiz iehor il-ministru jiftahar li rrangaw triq. X'medjokrita u faqar ta' pajjiz!!!
Claire Busuttil
May 15th 2010, 16:13
ara jidher kemm ghadnha lura ta specjalment f dan il qasam....biex hawn dan nies kollha jifirhu, fuq haga li ghandha tkun bazika f dan il pajjiz....t toroq!!
Jesmond Abela
May 15th 2010, 16:35
Anki jiena naqbel mieghek li toroq ghandhom ikunu tajbin u mibnija bi pjan sew u qedin ikollna toroq specjalment li huma principali up to EU standards. Li ma naqbilx mieghek fejn qeda tghid li nies qedin jifirhu mix xejn. Din it triq kienet perikoluza hafna ghalina is sewwieqa ghax meta saret originali minn ippjana u biex jecevola lil xi whud giet propja zig zag. Ghalhekk forsi in nies qedin jirringrazzjaw lil Austin Gatt. U nahseb ukoll li pajjizna madux lura kif qeda tallega inti, anzi Malta rajna progress enormi fkull qasam.
M Abela
May 15th 2010, 21:10
@Claire Busuttil
Well said...! These are basic things. All roads should be already like this.
Mur gibna nibnu gi motorway ta 200km. X'kienu jamlu...jikxfu irhama daqs billboard? 2010 qedin!
D. Fenech
May 15th 2010, 16:08
I don't usually agree with most of this government decisions... but this is surely a job well done. I don't use the road frequently, but that was one dangerous road.
... the problem is, there are tons of other roads waiting :p
c. camilleri
May 15th 2010, 15:34
Prosit Hon. Austin Gatt. This road and others is an example of how road work should be done.
P Montebello
May 15th 2010, 15:28
Good to hear this.
Since the closure, Triq il President Anton Buttigieg in Zejtun, had taken the brunt of the traffic. NOW COULD WE HAVE A NEW SURFACE ON THIS ROAD AS WELL, since due to the heavy traffic which street was not programmed to take in the first place, we have several places that have subsided.
And drivers beware: there is a manhole on the verge of caving in,
A. Mifsud
May 15th 2010, 15:10
I cannot understand why major arterial roads are being scaled down to a single carriageway in each direction. This at a time when traffic congestions have become the order of the day!!
One other point, what about crash barriers? Of course one thing links to another - it is recommendable having centre crash barriers on dual carriageways not single. But then again I'm afraid we'll have to prepare ourselves for a series of head-on collisions on this stretch of road!!
Apart from these two comments, a job well done and desperately needed for too long!
Kevin Zammit
May 15th 2010, 16:19
They did the right thing I must say this was really planned and the first time I have seen a road that was complete up to the last detail. It would not make a difference whether this a 2 or single because the real bottleneck is at the lights on both ends although this more on the zabbar side.
marco desira
May 15th 2010, 14:29
Do not intend to put a damper to it ... it's a good piece of work .... whilst the work was carried out traffic was managed in a better way than usual..... yet I believe that the work should require less time to complete..... overall PROSIT
Joseph E Briffa
May 15th 2010, 14:14
Super! I drove through this road and it's a real pleasure...Well done.
gaffarena joseph
May 15th 2010, 14:04
A state of the art road.
Well done to all those that in the past months worked on this project.
Before that road was very dangerous,a shame for those who were responsable in building
such a dangerous road.
Now,if you drive well, you be enjoying another state of the art road,being built by professionals.
J.Tonna
May 15th 2010, 15:08
WE USED TO CALL IT " ZIG-ZAG ROAD ".
A.Saliba
May 15th 2010, 14:04
A very high-quality project, but it would've been better if it had two lanes on each side. I guess we'll just have to make do with a few head-on crashes every year.
James Green
May 15th 2010, 14:03
Congratulations.........finally.
Let's hope the surface doesn't wear out and lose grip after 2 months, otherwise the €9.6 million would have been ill spent. And why was this road not reconstructed as a dual carriageway?
Now how about a few Euros to fill up the multitude of pot holes, badly repaired roads, sunken manhole covers and other horrors that abound.
Joe Mangion
May 15th 2010, 13:50
All well and good. But where does B'bugia features in all these works? Absolutely no mention for the south of south. Hon Franco Debono should stand up and demand that the infrastructure in B'bugia should be upgraded. B'bugia is in a mess. fixing pavements is not enough. the whole are is in ashambles.
Adrian Sciberras
May 15th 2010, 13:46
A job well done! Well done to the contractors and all those involved!
rjcostigan
May 15th 2010, 13:40
Hekk sewwa kissirt monument tal-gvern Laburista tas-snin 70's-80's
u ghamilt monument iehor ghal partit Nazzjonalista. Monument iehor
hal 'Power Statio' Ta' Dellimara. U ohra ghad trid issir.
X'DIFFERENZA
Keep it up Austin.
Wayne Flask
May 15th 2010, 14:41
Dear Mr Costigan
So you are suggesting a power station is a monument dedicated to the people of the south? Heartfelt thanks, especially if your reply is a yes.
rjcostigan
May 15th 2010, 16:07
***Wayne Flask,
I live on the outskirts between Marsa - Hamrun - Qormi. When the winds
are from the NorthEast to South we at home (and all the other residents)
cannot walk barefooted inside our home - closing all windows and doors-
especially in the backyards, when you hear the sound of soot
under the shoes. THIS IS ALL DUE to the Marsa Power Station (not
mentioning when there was the coal). But thanks to the long forsight
of this government this station is going to be closed in the near future.
Yes the Dellimara Power station is a MONOMENT and this was built
there because the prevailing winds throughout the year is from the West
to the North. I think you remember when the MLP said that it will close it.
But I tell you that whoever is in government the power station will remain
there.
Duncan Sant
May 15th 2010, 16:34
Dear costigan,the Marsa powerstation is going to be closed down NOT because your PN govt wants to, but because it is bound to do so by the EU. To add insult, the Delimara power station is going to use Heavy Fuel Oil, so more soot coming our way.
S. Pulis
May 15th 2010, 17:34
Veru każ fejn L-IBLAH TAQLAGĦLU GĦAJNU U JIFRAĦ!!! X'jagħmillek l-għamad politiku! Jekk intom kuntenti biha morru taħt iċ-ċumnija ħalli ma ttelfux farka nugrufun lil pulmunkom!
rjcostigan
May 15th 2010, 18:10
Sur S. Pulis....
Ahna noghqodu hames kilometri boghod mill-'power station'.
Meta kien hemm il-FAHAM il-karozzi kienu jiehdu kulur iehor -iswed.
Tista taqghlali fejn trid ghax il-verita w l-progress iwegghu, habib.
Sur Duncan Sant....
Il-'heavy fuel oil' la jsiru l-'filters' fic-cumnija ma jkunx perikoluz ghax
jissaffa. Mhux kif qed ibezzghu lir-residenti ghal skop politiku.
Il-progress iwegga lil x'uhud.
S. Pulis
May 15th 2010, 18:18
Il-progress iwegga!? Din x'teorija hi!? Saqsi lin-nies tal-Fgura halli jghidulek x'kulur ikun it-trab li jigbru minn bjuthom!? U dan ghadu mhux qed jiinharaq HFO? Ha nghidlek habib jekk progett ikun tajjeb igawdi minnu kulhadd imma jekk se jnigges l-arja.... kulhadd se jkun bel......!
John Carmel Navarro
May 15th 2010, 13:27
Very well done to all those involved from the planning stage to the completion, an extremely well executed project. Particular mention to the way the old stone walls along the new road have been restored to enhance the whole ambience making driving through to Marsascala a pleasure.