Three new lanes are being added to Aviation Road, easing traffic flows from the Kirkop tunnel, Gudja Bypass and Luqa, the Transport Ministry said today.

Works are being carried out by Transport Malta and are intended to improve access to the airport.

The roundabout connecting Luqa to Gudja, the airport, the Ħal Far road and the Kirkop tunnel is among Malta's most congested traffic hotspots, with some 4,000 vehicles an hour passing through the junction each morning.

The majority - those heading from Gudja, Kirkop, Mqabba, Qrendi, Safi and Żurrieq - use the roundabout to get to Aviation Road on their way to reaching other central localities. The junction also sees similar traffic volumes late in the afternoon as commuters return home from work.

Bypass lane to skip roundabout

Among the key changes will be a bypass lane leading vehicles from the Kirkop tunnel to Aviation Road towards Luqa without having to access the roundabout. Around a third of vehicles passing from this roundabout came from Kirkop and other localities in the area, in the direction of Luqa.

Around a third of vehicles passing from this roundabout come from Kirkop and other localities in the area, in the direction of Luqa.

Another new bypass lane will take vehicles from Luqa to the Gudja Bypass without passing through the roundabout.

A third new lane will take vehicles from the Gudja Bypass to the airport, improving access to the airport for vehicles from Gudja, Għaxaq, Paola, Tarxien and other localities in the vicinity.

End of summer target date

Works began some days ago and are expected to be concluded by the end of summer, the Transport Ministry said. 

Transport Minister Ian Borg described the project as another step forward in improving the quality of life for those who depended on these major arteries on a daily basis.

He said projects similar to this one would not solve the challenges posed by traffic overnight, but that every minute spared was an extra minute for a better economic and social life.

“We will carry on working on projects of different levels, from minor interventions to major capital investments which take longer to complete, so that we can achieve a road network which serves us better,” Dr Borg said.