The Kappara junction

The two proposals made public about works at Kappara will, though in varying degrees, result in serious, unacceptable environmental damage to Wied Għollieq and increased traffic flows, apart from causing problems to residents.

Why have not the other seven options proposed also been published? And why not eliminate the roundabout at Kappara?

On Facebook, Michael Sciortino has suggested that opening the corridors in the roundabout would allow the Msida-Swieqi traffic and vice versa to pass straight through.

The traffic coming from the Gżira side road would be obliged to join the main flow and turn around at the University roundabout to go to Kappara or Swieqi.

The traffic from Kappara would be directed in the direction of Swieqi and turnaround either before or after the tunnels to rejoin regional road in order to continue towards Msida or exit to Gżira.

Likewise, anyone from Swieqi who wanted to go to Kappara would have to drive to the University roundabout, rejoin the regional road and then turn left into Kappara at the junction. In this way, the heavy Msida-Swieqi traffic would not be interrupted by cars wanting to cross into opposite lanes to go in the other directions.

Such a proposal sounds interesting and could maybe provide some remedy, at least in the short term.

An environmental impact assessment on such a proposal should be given serious thought by the authorities concerned.

A couple of hundred metres’ detour, coupled with an efficient transport service, might go a long way in improving the service.