Calls for an expression of interest for the long-promised Mrieħel Bypass footbridge will be issued shortly but the government is not saying when this will be built as it is “too early”.

“At this stage, it is better not to commit to specific time frames. We are talking about a major project,” an Infrastructure Ministry spokeswoman said.

The Labour Party had pledged to build a pedestrian crossing over this major road during the election campaign and a planning commission gave the go-ahead in April.

The footbridge will consist of two steel structures on either side of the road rising from a concrete square base covering an area of 10 square metres. The bridge will be roughly 12 metres high. 

Emma Marie Housley, 17, and 13-year-old Graziella Fenech died after being run over by a car driven by Ivan Cutajar, 23, while attempting to cross the road.

On Thursday, Mr Cutajar was ordered to pay the Housley family €240,000 in damages after he was first given a two-year suspended jail term back in 2009. He was also ordered to pay the Fenech family €211,000 in damages.

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