The Paceville-bound section of the Kappara flyover will start to be put into place on Saturday, bringing the second phase of three to its conclusion.
The €23 million project may have taken years to get going, but so far it is proceeding on time, according to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat – and on budget, according to contractor SJ Kappara.
WATCH: Kappara flyover taking shape
This is somewhat unique for any road project in Malta, and Transport Malta project leader Antoinette Conti is adamant that future projects will be expected to meet the same standards with regards to intricate forward planning and execution.
The project was dreaded by commuters, who knew that some pain was inevitable if there was to be long-term gain. But the closure of the junctions leading to Gżira and Kappara – the former accounts for 48 per cent of the traffic – actually eased congestion at peak times, and once completed, she said the traffic would still flow more easily as direct traffic to or from the Paceville direction would not be hindered by vehicles crossing lanes to turn off.
A considerable amount was being spent on the site to ensure that traffic could flow safely in spite of the frequent tweaks to the lanes
Part of the project's success from a traffic management point of view is down to planning – and money. The first phase of the work involved upgrading the alternative routes to handle deviated traffic, and SJ Kappara's project manager, Raul Gutierrez, explained that a considerable amount was being spent on the site to ensure that traffic could flow safely in spite of the frequent tweaks to the lanes – and to mitigate inconvenience to residents.
During the project, this means watering down the site to reduce dust and using netting to fence off the construction areas, but once the project is completed, the emphasis will be on reducing noise by installing sound barriers along the edges of the four-lane flyover.
An extra 100 car parking spaces have been created by the National Pool, and a storm catchment system will help to reduce flooding.
With the project nearing its final phase, Mr Gutierrez reassured that commuters had nothing to fear with regards to delays: “The headaches will all be for me, to get the work done – often at night – to ensure that the traffic will keep flowing!” he laughed.
Graphic: Design Studio