Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects Ian Borg announced another important step which will make one of our country’s main roads more efficient, with less difficulties and improved safety for all those who pass through it.

The Minister explained how works will take place in the area between Qormi and Luqa and will focus on the rebuilding of the roundabout near the St Vincent de Paule retirement home in the main road which leads to Qormi from Luqa, based on more improved planning. Work on this roundabout in Luqa, which connects four main roads — namely Qormi Road, Ħal Farruġ Road, Ingiered Road and Luqa Road — will reduce journey times while also reducing the risk of accidents. Moreover, the Minister added that the approach lanes leading to the same roundabout will be increased, and two new bypass lanes will be built, which will allow passing from Qormi Road to Ingiered Road, and from Luqa Road to Ħal Farruġ Road without the need to use the same roundabout.

The Minister added that there will also be the widening the main roads connecting this roundabout to the roundabout near the airport, which was also rebuilt from scratch last year. He said that all trees being removed because of work will be replanted and that, where possible, works are being done during the night to cause the least possible inconvenience for all those who make use of these roads. 

This project signals the completion of another phase of the work which started last summer, and which led to the improvement of main roundabouts and junctions across the route which connects Kirkop and surrounding localities and Gudja, Luqa and Qormi in the direction of Marsa and Valletta. Calculations show that as a result of these works, journey time when passing through this route has already gone down by around 30%.

Architects and engineers from the Roads and Infrastructure Directorate within Transport Malta will continue studying and evaluating the results of this investment so that, where and if necessary, other adjustments can be made.

The Minister stated that the works being carried out are the result of the continuous work by concerned entities and, above all, the direction being taken by the ministry is to continuously evaluate the situation of our country’s roads so that action can be taken where improvements can be made, or where challenges are anticipated. In fact, these works anticipate the increase in the volume of traffic which will be passing through the area during the more advanced phases of the Marsa Junction Project, and aim to facilitate the journey for drivers during this time.

As part of these improvement works, the last quarter of last year saw a number of other works which led to the completion of other phases of work in the Qormi area which had started in the summer. The two principal junctions of this locality — the one near the site where the Lowenbrau factory was previously located, and the roundabout near the playground —  were rebuilt, together with a number of new lanes in the roads which lead to them. This work has now been completed.

The two Qormi roundabouts now have additional lanes so that vehicles can pass through them in less time. Works were also carried out to widen Qormi Road, in the direction from Żebbuġ to Marsa, as well as Manwel Dimech Road, which connects the two roundabouts. These two roads now have additional lanes which reduce difficulties for those who pass through them. Around 2,300 passenger cars and 300 larger vehicles, such as buses, trucks and construction machinery, pass through these roundabouts every hour, especially during peak hours in the morning and late in the afternoon.

The ministry will soon begin works in other areas of the country, including preparations for improvement works in another main route which connects central localities to others in the North through arterial roads in Mrieħel, Attard and in the Ta’ Qali area. These works are expected to start later this year.

The coming weeks will also see the beginning of an extensive project to remove the current bottleneck in the Marsa-Ħamrun Bypass.

The Minister said that currently ongoing is the project which started at the end of last year focused on the rebuilding of the main junction near the Addolorata Cemetery in Marsa, with a number of flyovers which will replace the existing traffic lights to considerably ease the problems of congestion faced by those who travel to and from the South of Malta.

These works form part of a plan which includes short, medium and long-term solutions, with projects that can be completed immediately and others which require more time.

“Working continuously towards the improvement of our roads” is synonymous for all works being carried out in our roads. Minister Borg thanked all concerned entities, including the Roads Directorate within Transport Malta, for the important work being carried out. The Minister concluded by saying that, thanks to this commitment, we will have better and more efficient roads, with more safety measures leading to less incidents, less pollution and to journeys which take less time thanks to more sustainable transport systems.