Work to transform the congested Kappara junction into a flyover will cost more than the estimated €25 million, a Transport Ministry spokesman said.

However, the final figure has not yet been established.

With the permit in hand following the planning authority’s approval last month, Transport Malta is gearing up for the massive project, which will still include a roundabout but would have two flyovers connecting one side of Regional Road to the other.

The aim is to reduce congestion at the roundabout, which handles around 6,000 vehicles an hour during peak times.

However, Transport Malta architect Robert Zerafa, who is heading the project, pointed out that the traffic volume in non-peak hours “is fairly close” to that of rush hour.

Automatic traffic counters placed across Regional Road in May revealed that around 68,000 vehicles travel every day on both sides of the carriageway.

“This is not the total load on the roundabout as it measured only one approach and exit but provides an insight as to the scale of usage of this part of the network,” he said.

The project has been in the pipeline for many years and worked upon by previous Road Departments.

It provides an insight as to the scale of usage of this part of the network

In 1996, a permit for a proposed flyover was approved but it never materialised.

Mr Zerafa explained that the work, expected to start in July and be completed within 18 months, would be split into a number of phases designed to affect traffic from north to south as little as possible. The utmost was being done to have two lanes in both directions during most of the construction period, he said. However, due the complexity of the works, during some of the phases the traffic flow on Regional Road would be reduced to one lane.

Drivers will be encouraged to use alternative routes from earlier junctions and road links in various areas including St Paul’s Bay, Qormi and Marsa to ease the traffic load on Kappara Junction. These routes will be announced and the electronic announcement system might be used to inform drivers about road closures.

The works will start with the widening of Regional Road and the construction of retaining walls. Meanwhile, the utility services underneath the roundabout will be shifted, blocking traffic across Sliema Road.

Part of the traffic flow will be transferred on to the widened parts and works will start on the road. Once the services are set, followed by foundations and first layers, the construction of the overpass would begin.

It is planned that construction of the flyover will start from the southbound carriageway and, once completed, traffic will be diverted on to it for works to start on the northbound.

“The works are fairly complex and the fact that traffic will pass during the works through identified shielded lanes will make it more challenging,” said Mr Zerafa.

Most of the materials will be prefabricated since the working space on site will be very limited.

Always a controversial project, the transport authority had presented a modified version of the so-called Option A proposal, which was something of a turnaround.

Up to last year, the 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 signalled junction on the San Ġwann side and a bridge passing over Għollieqa valley.

However, the planning authority’s environment unit had slammed Option B, saying it would eat into the valley.