Five consortia are bidding to build the new €25 million Kappara junction that will be financed by the EU.

The project – one of the largest road infrastructure upgrades to be carried out on the island – involves the building of two new flyovers bypassing the normally congested area.

The five bidders are Kappa JV, SJ Kappara JV, Tirrena Scavi Spa, K7JV and Pons PST Malta JVC.

No date was given yet on when the works will start although the government said this would be decided once the final adjudication process by the Department of Contracts was over.

Works, expected to take years to complete, will only start after the completion of the ongoing coast road reconstruction project, which is also financed by the EU.

The planning authority has already given the green light to the Kappara project. In mid-2013, plans submitted by Transport Malta were approved by Mepa with the project aiming at easing the traffic flow. Studies showed that about 6,000 vehicles passed through the area during peak times, leading to increased waiting and travel time.

In the new junction project, the roundabout would remain there with two flyover lanes cutting across. Traffic from one side of Regional Road to the other would pass over the roundabout.