Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects Ian Borg visited ongoing works on Triq Ħal Qormi and Triq San Tumas, the main connection between Qormi and Luqa, a project with an investment of €9.5 million.
The Minister explained how instead of the existing two-lane carriageway, Infrastructure Malta will develop a dual-carriageway with four lanes, with the two carriageways being separated by a central strip including crash barriers, LED lighting and other safety systems. The project will also include new footpaths, safer bus lay-bys, landscaped areas and a 1-kilometre segregated cycle track which will join the cycle lane introduced in Aviation Avenue last year.
He said that this year saw the beginning of excavation works for the foundations of the two new lanes and the cycle track along the sides of the existing carriageway and explained how the project will be implemented in several phases to avoid inconveniences as much as possible. When the new lanes are finished, these will start being used for the old ones to be closed and rebuilt. The project includes 1.6 kilometres of underground water, internet and telecommunication services while a new rain water system is being built. Another 2-kilometre electricity network will be passed underground for the street lighting.
“We are committed to continue implementing important projects on our country’s infrastructure, and through which we continue improving the efficiency of our road network. We are doing this for speedier journeys for road users and a better quality of life for our country’s residents, and to facilitate work for businesses which need to be reached by the same roads. A little under a year ago we carried out works near the roundabout further north from the site we are standing at today – today we will continue works to continue improving the efficiency of this route which is used by many of our road users,” said Minister Borg.
He explained how this project will continue building on other investments with the aim of improving the capacity, sustainability and safety of arterial routes between the centre and the south of the country; projects like Aviation Avenue and the Luqa, Qormi and Żebbuġ roundabouts.
“This is the way in which we need to plan our country’s infrastructure. We are not living in parts of the country which are isolated from each other. We are living in a country which is connected through a road network and it is important to plan for a road network,” said the Minister.
He explained how while each project complements another, every project brings with it unique benefits as well, and added that this project in Triq Ħal Qormi and Triq San Tumas is important, especially because this is one of the main routes of access for the Airport, the Ħal Far Industrial Estate, the Freeport and other businesses, a project which will also be beneficial for the economy by improving efficiency for several commercial and industrial sectors that depend on these places. At the same time, it is expected to reduce dependency on the other centre-south route which passes through Santa Venera and Marsa where other investments are also planned or being implemented.
“It is important that when we see projects like these happening on our roads we understand why in reality we are carrying out all of this investment. Our country has achieved great success, but this was not reflected in our road infrastructure and we are therefore ensuring that these roads complement and, furthermore, sustain our economy. With quality infrastructure, especially in places like this, we sustain industries, we sustain our airports and ports, which mean tourism and commerce. Above all, we give our citizens more time to spend with their families or practising hobbies because their journey to and from their homes always gets shorter. We are committed to continue investing in infrastructure and to continue planning to solve bottlenecks and not to work in a fragmented way. Our end goal is to see the quality of life of the people is good and always getting better,” concluded Minister Ian Borg.