The Valletta local council has bowed to pressure on the bad timing of the planned road works in St Paul Street and postponed half the project, “aimed at changing the face of the city”, to next year.
The decision, the council said, was taken following consultation with the Malta Tourism Authority, the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises – GRTU, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association and other stakeholders.
Valletta mayor Alexiei Dingli had originally defended the council’s decision to close the road in August, saying it was the quietest time of the year to carry out the job. However, the business community, residents and operators in the tourism sector shot down the planned project saying August was the worst time for such work.
The pressure mounted on Dr Dingli and his council seemed to have paid off as the top part of the street, which has become a main artery following the closure of Pope Pius V Street, which ran above the old City Gate, will not be part of the project this year.
Work on the lower part of the street was due to start on August 22, the council said, adding that this was subject to approval “by all the entities involved”.
Since the lower part of St Paul Street intersects with other roads the council is planning to resurface, such as Nicholas and Old Hospital streets, work will start on this part of St Paul Street.
The job will be divided into two phases, the first one between Hospital Street and St Dominic Street and the second phase between St Dominic Street and Archbishop Street.
Work on this part of the long street is expected to take about 10 weeks and the whole project, including one the council says will be carried out in “summer 2012”, is expected to cost the council €160,000.
“During the said road works, only the parts where the works will be carried out will be closed for traffic. This will ensure that inconvenience and the temporary loss of parking spaces are kept to an absolute minimum,” the council said.
In the first phase, traffic going down from St Paul Street can use St Christopher or St Dominic street to exit the city as usual.
During the second phase, traffic will be diverted from Archbishop Street, either towards the Palace (to reach the Marsamxett side of the city) or towards St Ursula Street (in order to reach the Grand Harbour side).
“Closer to the date, residents and businesses in the area will be given further details,” the council said.
The project includes cleaning rain water culverts, laying new water mains, paving, laying of services and resurfacing the roads.