Birkirkara residents can finally breathe a sigh of relief as works are under way to rebuild Triq Bontadini, once dubbed as “Malta’s worst road”.

A spokesman said Transport Malta had started the first phase of the project.

The dire state of the road has been a bone of contention for years, with the Birkirkara local council last year saying repairs would cost double its €1 million annual budget.

Transport Malta has taken the lead repairing the road, on the back of a government pledge to repave all of Malta’s roads over the next seven years.

The spokesman said the transport watchdog was engaged in several projects across the whole network to improve traffic flows, increase safety and upgrade surfaces and other related infrastructure.

He said most of the projects were planned to be completed by the end of summer, before the seasonal increase in road users brought about by the start of a new academic year.

The first phase of the works involves rebuilding the parts of the road closest to the schools, to be completed by the end of summer

In the case of Triq Bontadini, the spokesman said the rebuilding would be implemented in phases to ensure minimal impact on the local community, including the Infetti sports facility and the secondary schools located there.

He pointed out that the rather long thoroughfare intersected several other busy roads in the area and required extensive investment to be adequately upgraded from its present state of disrepair.

The spokesman said the first phase of the works involved rebuilding the parts of the road closest to the schools, to be completed by the end of summer.

Ongoing works included the removal of the existing road surface and underlying materials, the replacement of underground utility services’ pipes and cables, the reinforcement of the road’s foundations and the laying of new asphalt surfaces and other related road structures.

The spokesman noted that every road project was planned to be gradually implemented with the least possible impact on users and residents.

Other projects would continue in other areas after summer, depending on the specific conditions and community requirements of each location, he said.

He said Transport Malta was handling other infrastructural and administrative medium- and long-term projects aimed at consolidating the efficiency and safety of Maltese roads.

Transport Malta thanked road users and residents who were supporting its employees and contractors to complete the works in the shortest time possible.