Infrastructure Malta invested over €17 million in road upgrades in summer 2018, taking advantage of the seasonal drop in road use to improve the capacity, efficiency and safety of some of the country’s busiest routes.

Between July and September, the newly-formed agency optimised the resources allocated for the planning and implementation of new and ongoing infrastructural projects to push forward the introduction of several improvements. In fact, by the end of September, road users started benefitting from 17.4 kilometres of new or rebuilt lanes and 18 upgraded junctions with added road safety measures, reduced travel times and improved air quality.

A substantial share of this investment was directed to rebuilding the main gateway to the southern part of Malta, with three projects targeting the arterial road corridor between the Santa Venera tunnels and Triq Aldo Moro in Marsa. Two of these projects, the rebuilding of Triq Aldo Moro as part of the second phase of the Marsa Junction Project, and the widening of the Marsa-Ħamrun Bypass, were scheduled to be completed later this year and next year respectively. The third one, comprising the upgrading of the stretch of arterial roads linking the Marsa Ħamrun Bypass to Triq Dicembru 13 and Triq Aldo Moro, was launched in the beginning of summer.

The new or upgraded lanes and junctions developed through these three projects, including the six lanes of the Marsa-Ħamrun Bypass, were opened to road users by the end of summer. The Marsa-Ħamrun Bypass widening project is reducing travel time along this route by up to 42 per cent. The last three of the 10 lanes in Triq Aldo Moro will be completed in the coming weeks, before Infrastructure Malta starts the building of the Marsa Junction Project’s seven flyovers, to eliminate the Addolorata Cemetery traffic lights waiting times.      

During the summer, Infrastructure Malta also upgraded the two main roundabouts at Żebbuġ and the Mosta Technopark roundabout, between Mosta, Naxxar and Lija. At T’Alla u Ommu Hill, a bottleneck slowing down road users travelling from Burmarrad to Naxxar was eliminated with the construction of a second southbound lane.

The agency also improved the efficiency of the signal-controlled T-junction linking Triq tal-Barrani to Triq Ħal Tarxien, towards Gudja and Għaxaq, by adding a new bypass lane and optimising traffic lights operations. Through another project, road users travelling from Ta’ Qali towards Rabat or Żebbuġ can now use a new, safer exit from a rebuilt road at the Tal-Ħemsija area, rather than crossing oncoming traffic at the Mdina Road junction.  

Another major improvement in the southern part of Malta is the introduction of a third lane and a new cycle lane in the northbound carriageway of Vjal l-Avjazzjoni, between Gudja and Luqa. This improvement has led to a 73.3 per cent travel time improvement for thousands of road users travelling from Safi, Kirkop, Mqabba, Qrendi and Żurrieq through the Kirkop tunnels, towards Luqa, Qormi and Valletta, every morning.

As these projects are concluded, Infrastructure Malta continues working on other projects, such as the widening of Triq tal-Balal, between Naxxar and San Ġwann and the reconstruction of Triq Bormla (Tac-Ċawsli), linking Żabbar and Zejtun. It is also finalising plans for other important projects starting in the coming months, including the rebuilding of Triq Hal Luqa, between Gudja and Santa Luċija, the upgrading of Triq Ħal Qormi, between Luqa and Qormi, the widening of Triq ta’ Buqana, between Mtarfa and Mosta, the construction of two new tunnels beneath the Santa Luċija roundabout and Central Link Project, extending from the Mrieħel Bypass, through Birkirkara, Balzan and Attard, towards Ta’ Qali. The agency is also finalising proposals for the upgrading of Triq Sant Andrija, between Swieqi, Pembroke and Paceville, and of several junctions along this busy road.

Earlier this month, Infrastructure Malta also announced the first 120 of the residential roads it will be rebuilding during 2019, as part of the government’s €700 million commitment to improve the quality of residential roads in all localities in the coming years. The first works of this unprecedented road rebuilding investment will start in January 2019.

For more information or for assistance, contact Infrastructure Malta on 2334 1000 or info.im@infrastructuremalta.com.

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