Transport Malta will on Tuesday night embark on several road works along different parts of the arterial route between the Santa Venera tunnels, Santa Venera and Triq Diċembru 13, in Marsa.

The works, which will continue for several days, form part of three major ongoing projects to upgrade the quality, safety and efficiency of this part of the arterial road network.

These infrastructural investments consist of the widening of the Marsa-Ħamrun bypass, the upgrading of parts of Triq Diċembru 13 and its junctions and the Marsa Junction Project, including the development of a seven-flyover intersection at Triq Aldo Moro and the introduction of new facilities for alternative modes of travel, between Marsa and Paola.

Marsa-Ħamrun bypass project

The first works starting on Tuesday night and continue round the clock for several days, include trenching works in the slip road connecting the south-bound carriageway of the Marsa-Ħamrun bypass to the Qormi-Santa Venera roundabout, beneath the flyover along the same Bypass and Triq Hal Qormi (Maltapost offices area).

These trenching works are required for the laying of new utilities and telecommunications underground distribution networks being developed as part of the €5 million project to add two new lanes to the Marsa-Ħamrun Bypass.

A new uninterrupted lane towards Qormi and Santa Venera is being built

These additional lanes, which are expected to be available to road users by the end of the year, will eliminate a number of difficulties that currently cause major delays to road users. Among others, the project will remove the existing merging of two lanes into one at the south-bound exit of the Santa Venera tunnels. A new uninterrupted lane towards Qormi and Santa Venera is being built to resolve this obstacle.

Due to the extent of the trenching works involved, this slip road will be closed for several days. Road users travelling to Qormi or Santa Venera through the Marsa Ħamrun Bypass are encouraged to use alternative routes. Public transport routes that normally go through this slip road are also being diverted to other nearby roads to ensure that bus schedules are not disrupted.

Triq Dicembru 13 upgrade

Meanwhile, during the next few days, other day and night road works will also be taking place at Triq Diċembru 13, along the same north-south arterial route.

While these works may necessitate temporary lane closures to ensure workers’ and road users’ safety, Triq Diċembru 13 will remain open in both directions at all times. Works that may have a greater impact on vehicular flows are scheduled to be carried out late at night, to avoid interruptions at peak times.

The ongoing works form part of a €2.5 million investment launched a few week ago to upgrade parts of Triq Aldo Moro, Triq Diċembru 13 and the Marsa-Ħamrun Bypass, eliminating several accident black spots and improving travel times through these arterial roads.

Within a few months, this project will upgrade the 4-kilometre stretch of arterial roads linking the new infrastructure being developed as part of the Santa Luċija roundabout tunnels project and the Marsa Junction Project (Addolorata Cemetery area), to the Marsa-Ħamrun bypass project at Santa Venera.

It includes the redesign and rebuilding of Triq Aldo Moro’s roundabout junction at the Salib tal-Marsa area, the widening of parts of Triq Dicembru 13 and the Marsa-Ħamrun Bypass and the development of several dedicated lanes to facilitate safer connections between these three arterial roads.

The one-lane slip road linking the north-bound carriageway of Triq Diċembru 13 to the Marsa-Ħamrun Bypass will be widened to accommodate two dedicated lanes. Similarly, the slip road linking the south-bound carriageway of this road to the same bypass will be rebuilt to introduce a continuous lane, reducing the risk of collisions.

Drivers and other road users travelling in this area are encouraged to proceed with caution and to follow the temporary reduced speed limits and diversions indicated by roadside signs. Transport Malta personnel are also on site to guide road users while works are in progress.