Two roads were opened yesterday which Transport Minister Austin Gatt said are crucial to the country’s infrastructure – the road which from Xewkija leads to Victoria, and Marfa Road in Mellieha.

Work on them started in March last year and they cost about €20 million between them. Not inconsiderable problems were encountered in the works, Dr Gatt said. They included historical remains in Gozo, and weather problems on Marfa Road.

The road in Gozo, the longest in all the road projects, is 3.1 kms long and 9.4 kms of roads were used as alternative routes. It cost over €12 million, which also saw the building of three water reservoirs taking in a global 720 cubic metres of water.

The Marfa road is 2.5 kms long and 3kms of road were also used as alternative routes. The work cost almost €8 million. Three reservoirs were also built, for 1,100 cubic metres of water.

Dr Gatt said the TEN-T network will cost €47 million. So far they have completed the Marsaskala bypass, Valletta Road in Zurrieq, Council of Europe Road in Luqa, Garibaldi Road in Marsa, Xatt l-Ghassar tal-Gheneb and Moll ic-Cangatura, Marfa Road, and the Xewkija road to Victoria.

Roads yet to be built are the Penellu Bypass in Mellieha, costing €10 million, the underpass in December 13 Road in Marsa, costing €10.5 million, and the Malta-Gozo tunnel link, on which a preliminary report has been concluded.

Dr Gatt said that some €80 million have been spent on some 17kms of arterial and distributory roads since EU membership. Since 2008 €20 million have been spent on 450 residential roads,