The benefits of European Union membership are filtering through, with the government last week announcing that it had proposed works on 13 road junctions which, if done up, would cost Lm136 million.
Most of the funds – a minimum of 75 per cent to a maximum of 85 per cent of the total – will be paid by European Union funds. The projects, if approved, will be done between 2007 and 2013.
The projects proposed by the Urban Development and Roads Ministry, under Minister Jesmond Mugliett, cover 51 kilometres of roads which fall under the Trans European Network-Transport.
Most of the roads that have been chosen for upgrading or outright rebuilding are important arteries that, once completed, will make the road network in Malta of a much higher standard. In the words of Minister Mugliett, the projects are aimed at improving the safety as well as efficiency of goods and passenger transport.
Apart from the roads, the work includes the rehabilitation of 18 bridges, replacement of 11 bridges, demolition of two others and construction of nine new bridges. The upgrading of three existing tunnels as well as the construction of three tunnels at Manikata, Ibrag and Paceville are included in the proposals.
The priorities are three areas that are notorious for the traffic problems they have caused and are still causing – the Kappara roundabout where a traffic light system was introduced and later discarded because it created more congestion, the road linking 13 December Road in Marsa to the sea passenger terminal and the whole network at Marsa.
The government seems to be planning ahead so as to speed up the work. In fact, the first call for tenders should be issued next year so that, if and when the EU gives the green light to the projects, no time is wasted. The work on projects approved by the EU will start in early 2007.
One important point that needs to be kept in mind is that, considering that the roads in question are important arteries, there will be great inconvenience to drivers while the roads are being reconstructed. There will be complete closures or wide roads reduced to one or two lanes, and this will obviously lead to traffic jams.
This will however be a sacrifice worth making because, once the projects are completed, the traffic flow in the areas concerned will be greatly improved and the traffic management system will function better.
Drivers will remember the problems they had to face when, for example, the Santa Venera and Tal-Qroqq tunnels were being built to link the north with the south and vice-versa. But now everyone appreciates that it is much easier and faster to travel to any given destination fed by the said junction, rather than having to go through Msida.
Of course, the government must insist with the companies that will be involved in the projects to carry out the work as swiftly (and efficiently) as possible so as to minimise the inconvenience.
The planning stage is as important as the actual work, because the Roads Ministry has the task of seeing that alternative routes that might be used while some of the roads are closed or reduced in functionality are in perfect working order. A good public relations exercise to help drivers find their way about while the projects are being done must be carried out before the work starts.
Added to this, there should be a strong presence of traffic policemen and wardens to see that the traffic flows as smoothly as can be. They can also serve as a deterrent to those drivers who take unnecessary risks.
Once completed, the projects will make the road network in Malta of a much higher standard that it is today.