The first new Central Link project road is expected to open by the end of September, the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry said in a statement on Friday.
The news was announced in a visit to the site by Transport Minister Ian Borg, and Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi.
“We are speaking about an essential connection, a project that will not only eliminate a number of problematic bottlenecks which cause congestion, but will also give a more efficient and safe design, a better aesthetic and more facilities for alternative means”, Borg said.
“Here, we will have several footpaths and the longest segregated cycle track from Mrieħel to Rabat. The Central Link Project will lead to better air quality and a better quality of life for all residents living in village cores connecting to this artery, who will now have emptier roads when people start moving towards the main connection”, he added.
“We are committed to continue investing in an efficient and safer road network of the highest quality for all road users”, he concluded.
Parliamentary Secretary Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi stated that the Central Link project is co-financed by European funds, through an amount which adds up to around €11 million.
He said that infrastructural projects provide a clear proof of the importance for Malta to obtain a just budget which will enable the country to continue moving forward.
He held that the investment in infrastructure leads to the reduction in emissions as the problem of bottlenecks is addressed. The Parliamentary Secretary concluded by saying that this is a well-thought out investment, which provides more facilities for alternative methods of transport as a form of commitment to our environment leading to a better quality of life.
The road to be opened includes the building of a bypass separated from the residential roads through landscaping, a segregated cycling and pedestrian track between the two parts, as well as differences in road levels.
Apart from the mentioned facilities, the bypass will include a two-lane carriageway in the direction of Ta’ Qali. This week saw the commencement of surfacing on parts of this new road after it was formed, and underground services were implemented in the first half of the year.