The first two flyovers in the Marsa Junction project were officially opened to traffic on Friday evening, with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat saying "What better present can we give to Malta and its people on the night before the 55th anniversary of Independence than the first phase of this grand project?"
The two flyovers, which will connect Aldo Moro road to Giuseppe Garibaldi road and which will take commuters in the direction of the Malta International Airport, were made using 127 underground concrete piles, 16 concrete columns, 800 tonnes of metal, 7,500 tonnes of concrete, 1,400 tonnes of asphalt, and a total of 69 beams, and stand at four storeys high; making it the highest flyover in the country.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat addressed the inauguration of the flyovers, saying that the investment that the government is making in its infrastructure is without precedent, noting that the promise of investing €700 million in a seven-year plan was well on course and adding that this capital project signified another €70 million over and above that, 15% of which was funded by the European Union.
He noted that this project has been needed for many years, noting that the last significant update to the junction took place in 1997, and queried as to what better present can be given to Malta and its people on the night before the 55th anniversary of Independence than the completion of the first phase of this project.
He described the project as "an absolute game-changer", noting how work had gone on for seven-days a week and sometimes even at night, with the coordination and help of various authorities and entities.
He noted that the decision for Friday to be the opening day for the flyover was not just symbolic given that it is the eve of Independence Day, but also practical, as it is the last weekday before students across the country flock back to their classrooms, a period which creates heightened traffic.
He appealed for all those using the flyover to drive cautiously and abide by the speed limits in place, while noting that the project's standards of safety are all in line with EU regulations.
Muscat said that the project was not possible without the surplus that Malta was achieving, lauding the country's economic performance. He said that when the project is done it will equate to much less traffic, and a better quality of life, whilst also referring to an analysis by economist Gordon Cordina, which found that the government's projects will result in 62,000 less tonnes of emissions.
He said that projects such as this will continue the holistic regeneration of the south, noting that it will have positive effects in terms of the environment, the economic, and the accessibility of the area.
He decried comments about the contractors responsible for the flyover, who hail from Turkey, saying that the comments that he had seen when the company was chosen bordered on being racists, something which he said he was deeply ashamed of.
"That we are here today proves that you are capable, can carry out work at a European standard, and do it for good value for money", Muscat said, praising the contractors.
Transport, Infrastructure, and Capital Projects Minister Ian Borg meanwhile similarly noted that the extensive infrastructural projects that the country is seeing would not be possible without the country's positive economic performance.
He said that he was satisfied to see Maltese investors and workers overflowing with work through this sector, and also to welcome foreign investors and companies, noting that it was good to see the Maltese workers climbing the rungs and coordinating such projects.
He said that this government has never stopped people from dreaming bigger, and noted that he had dreams to solve the big challenges of today and tomorrow, with the dream of a mass transport system amongst many others.
Borg noted the environmental benefits of the project, saying that vehicles will be cleaner as they stop less, that the air will be cleaner as a result, and that the project caters for those who want to walk or cycle through the area.
He made sure to mention the government's initiatives on public transport, noting that a record number of people were using public transport, 30,000 youths could use the same public transport for free, and thousands were using the intra-harbour ferry systems as well.
"We are here because we are do-ers", Borg said, perhaps channelling the #GettingThingsDone moniker which his ministry has adopted as of late.
The flyover was inaugurated by vintage cars owned by members of the Old Motors Club, who were the first to cross the new road onto Giuseppe Garibaldi Street.