The government delivered on its last pre-election promise to construct a total of 56 kilometres of roads during this legislature, with e150 million being allocated in co-financed projects for the next EU budgetary period, said Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett yesterday.

Mr Mugliett was on a field trip to see the reconstruction of Tarxien Road, as the name suggests, in Tarxien.

The government, he said, had constructed a total of 56.65 km of roads since 2003. Six of those were co-financed by the European Union and covered a total length of 12.7 km and included the third phase of the Hal Far bypass (3.3km), St. Paul’s Bay bypass (2.7km), Civil Aviation Avenue in Luqa (0.6km), Mgarr Road (Gozo – 2.4km), Victoria-San Lawrenz link (3.3km) and Manwel Dimech Bridge (0.4km).

There were also a number of arterial roads completed under financing through the Fifth Italian Protocol which totalled 16.5kms in length.

In addition, the government financed the construction of 20 other stretches totalling 27.45kms in length. These include Burmarrad Road (2.6km), Salina to Iklin link (3.2km), Tal Qroqq Junction (1km), Mosta ring road (1.8km), Mtarfa bypass (1.3km), Triq Ghajn Qajjet (0.6km), Manikata link (2.3km), Triq Ramla l-Hamra (2km), Triq Glormu Cassar in Valletta (0.35km), Triq Nazzjonali Blata l-Bajda (0.6km), Saqqajja Hill (0.2km), Triq Birbal, Balzan (0.75km), Triq Palma, Paola (0.4km), Tarxien Road (0.3km), Tal-Madonna, Ta’ Qali (1.10km), Rue d’Argens, Gzira (1.15km), Triq tal-Girgenti, Siggiewi (1.20km), Xemxija – Ghajn Tuffieha – Mgarr link (6km), Triq Hal Ferh (0.5km), Triq Hal Luqa, Santa Lucija (0.10km).

Mr Mugliett said this proved the government had kept to its promises regarding the construction of roads, and said that there was another e150 million waiting in EU funds for another batch. He said that one tender to re-construct the Marsascala bypass was imminent, as was another to re-construct Valletta Road in Zurrieq.

Mr Mugliett explained that the Tarxien Road project cost a total of Lm60,000 and was completed in two phases. “The road itself was quite problematic, as it is a water catchment area and we therefore needed to utilise water culverts to filter off into Blandun Valley,” he said. He also pointed out that the pavements were made of granite in keeping with the village core style.

He said that work to reconstruct such roads in village centres helped improve the quality of life of residents as it helped the traffic to flow through more smoothly. He also pointed out that the government allocates a Lm7 million budget vote every year for the construction of residential roads and maintenance of the same category of roads. He also remarked that the contractors involved in the construction of all roads were bound to provide a quality product, and would have to pay for repairs if they were not up to standard.