The highly congested Kappara junction is to be transformed into a flyover connecting the north and south of the island and built over a roundabout that will be smaller than the existing one.

The planning authority yesterday gave the go-ahead for a modified version of the so-called Option A proposal, one of three presented with a view to easing the heavy traffic that builds up at the Kappara roundabout throughout the day.

The submission of Option A by Transport Malta represented something of a turnaround. Up to last year, the transport authority was saying it preferred a second proposal, Option B, which eliminated the existing roundabout and replaced it with a new route.

This would have included a new roundabout on the Gżira side of Sliema Road, a signalised junction on the San Ġwann side and a bridge passing over Għollieqa valley.

Not taking a decision on the Kappara roundabout was not an option

However, Option B had been slammed by Mepa’s environment unit for having a “more direct impact” on the protected valley.

In his presentation to the planning authority board yesterday, Transport Malta’s architect Robert Zerafa explained that “not taking a decision on the Kappara roundabout” was “not an option”.

One of the aims of the project, which forms part of the EU-funded Ten-T roads upgrade programme, was to ease the heavy traffic. Describing it as one of the island’s “worst bottlenecks”, Mr Zerafa said the junction could not keep up with the volume of traffic, estimated to reach around 6,000 vehicles in a peak hour.

The new junction, which would reduce traffic and travel time, would still include the roundabout but would have two flyover lanes connecting one side of Regional Road to the other. Vehicles heading to Sliema or San Ġwann would pass through a side lane to join the roundabout.

Expected to start next July, the project should be finished within 18 months and will also include the maintenance of the Tal-Qroqq underpass tunnels and the widening of the carriageway to three lanes for smoother traffic exchanges. The Regional Road will not be closed at any point during works.

With a length of 1.2 km, the flyover will use LED lighting with an efficient dimming system. All the crash barriers will be replaced and sound barriers will be installed to reduce the noise of passing cars.

The project was unanimously approved against a bank guarantee of €100,000.

The plan had elicited heavy criticism from the public over its potential effect on residences but yesterday’s three-hour hearing was straightforward as only two residents, out of a packed room, made their voice heard.

Options A and B had irked residents to the extent that a group from Kappara got together and drew up a third proposal, which they presented to the planning authority last year.

However, a planning officer yesterday explained that their Option C had not been taken into consideration because it was a “non-starter” from a traffic point of view.

Option B would have cut through the protected valley, creating pockets of land. Also, more trees would have been uprooted. Both options would have had an impact on the valley’s integrity but in the second option this would have been “more significant”.

Monique Hili, an environment officer, said the approved plans would still have a significant impact on Wied Għollieqa but there were reasons of overriding interest for its approval since it was a national project.

However, this means the transport authority will have to compensate for the damage. Together with environmental group Nature Trust, which manages the valley, the planning authority has drawn up a set of measures to make up for it, which include transplanting trees and clearing the surrounding areas of invasive species.

In the modified proposal, the number of properties affected by the project was reduced from five to one residential property and the restaurant at the corner of Sliema Road, Ms Hili said.