Adds statement by Marsa council criticising decision
The Mepa board has approved an application for the rebuilding of December 13 road to include an underpass to the Menqa area in Marsa.
The level of the road will be raised because of the need for the underpass.
Some lanes will be closed for up to 25 weeks while the work is carried out.
The project is to benefit from European Regional Development Funds.
The Mepa case officer explained that the works would affect an area of approx 1km of the arterial road network. The proposed works would facilitate the access to the port area prior to entering Floraina and Valletta and therefore would reduce the amount of traffic further inward to the Capital City.
The main affect of the proposed works would result in an increase in height of the existing arterial road by some 4m. The rise in such level was necessitated by the fact that the underpass could not be lowered further as this would not allow for the natural drainage of rain water.
The existing playing field situated near Hexagon house would no longer be easily accessible by the residents of the southern Marsa area. As a planning gain the ADT would be required to make a contribution towards the upgrade of existing playing fields together with an a forestation programme to replace the existing playing field within Spencer Hill gardens. The works will affect approximately 79 mature trees which have to be uprooted and replaced by a new planting scheme.
The existing wide traffic island will be replaced by two traffic islands with a new lane proposed for the underpass to serve to the port area. The Republic monument would be shifted to the middle part of the second traffic island. The existing road would be shifted from the current alignment to introduce a separate lane to the underpass.
MARSA COUNCIL REGRETS DECISION
In a statement, Marsa local council said it could not understand how Mepa had approved the application for the rebuilding of December 13 Road.
It said the project would mean that more traffic would use this road.
This decision, it said, meant that despite promises of reform, the Authority was not any closer to the people and their needs.
The council said Mepa had not held serious consultation about this project. Neither had Transport Malta.