The penny suddenly dropped - watch how the government gallantly appointed an ex-BOV financial analyst, Steve Ellul as the latest CEO of state agency - Infrastructure Malta.
It pompously announced a fresh initiative to improve commuting and reduce traffic congestion as part of a seven-year plan. Quick on the ball, the Times of Malta editorial took umbrage at this announcement saying quoting verbatim... traditionally written by the government, this delivers a sort of false equivalence: the government dedicates €700 million for the construction of open spaces but a substantial amount of this cache will be spent on infrastructure, over and above the €500 million allocated by the government for the continuation of the roadbuilding spree seen in the last years.
The €200m difference between the two budgets does not really imply a change in direction. So, if Times of Malta is right - is this a new initiative or a ruse? There are quite a few reasons why a controversial flyover mega structure in Msida was met with widespread cynicism - yet wander dust has not settled on its glossy brochure. The heart of Msida is its people, its history and its community life.
While this flyover is well-intended as a solution to traffic congestion, it threatens to irreparably harm the city's traditions. Flyovers are a band-aid fix and a clumsy one at that. They shift congestion from one place to another without addressing the root causes - an over-reliance on cars, lack of punctual public transport alternatives and insufficient urban planning.
Construction work on the Msida Creek Project began last month, as stone barriers line the marina seafront in the locality. The project will see an overhaul of road infrastructure in the Msida junction which government promises will help ease traffic in one of the country's busiest roads. Many lament that this flyover will have a profound and direct impact on the lives of residents.
Imagine waking up, opening your window and being greeted not by the familiar sight of the town you've invested in and grown to love but by a massive concrete structure looming over your home. For many, this will be a harsh new reality. The loss of natural light, increased noise and diminished air quality are more than inconveniences - they will render living in these areas unbearable.
Comparisons can be odious but observers remind us how Castille readily spent cash to purchase several band clubs, allocated $145 million for film cash rebates, and invested in Lombard Bank shares, yet shows less enthusiasm for restoring the foundations of Fort Chambray. Instead, they approved the demolition of British-era barracks to allow developers to construct a luxury hotel. So, the reasonable trajectory for the Infrastructure agency, armed with a war chest, may be to try to introduce the 15-minute city concept pioneered by a famous architect Carlos Moreno. This is an intuitive and adaptable model for people - centred urban development that is already popular around the world. Moreno says achieving the 15-minute city requires "deconstructing the city" or more specifically, mixing as many different uses as possible. It is an approach to urban design that aims to improve quality of life by creating cities where everything a resident needs can be reached within 15 minutes by foot, bike or buses. The concept (la ville du quart d'heure) found new popularity in 2019 from Moreno, a French-Colombian professor (pictured) who developed the idea in pursuit of free movement of habitants. Moreno also champions the use of hybrid spaces: turning schoolyards as parks, civic facilities that have multiple uses and multi-use buildings and cultural spaces, such as church yards and digging underground garages in industrial parks. Another mentor is Paris mayor, Anne Hidalgo. She quickly became one of the most prominent champions of the 15-minute city. The idea was a centre piece of her successful 2020 re-election campaign, and it served as a useful, colloquial packaging for Paris to pedestrianise, promote cycling, electric scooters, restrict cars and bring parks and people-first infrastructure to the City of Light. Paris is treating schools as neighbourhood "capitals", enabling these properties to serve multiple functions alongside childhood education and working to strengthen local commercial networks, services and production under a romantic Produced in Paris brand. Just, recall strenuous opposition that Hidalgo faced in Paris when she vowed to embrace the concept. Equally challenging for us, as this task is a minefield yet we truly wish sustainable urban development gains the collaboration and support of the entire Cabinet.
Critics are quick to remind us of past peccadillos saying any national-wide roll-out of buying scarce parking spaces and recreation parks in village cores does not come without controversy (or loss of votes). Lobbies of car importers, village shops and drivers will fight the idea tooth and nail. Starting by an extensive plan to construct multiple bike lanes, this alone, transforms parts of the island into a big construction site. By comparison, in Paris, Hidalgo came out with plans to eliminate 60,000 parking spots by 2024 and to utilise smart-city technology to make the remaining cars and trucks spots on the road more efficient, speeding up package delivery and making it easier to find parking. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she fast-tracked the transformation of streets into emergency corona cycle lanes. Hidalgo has overseen significant changes in Paris, including controversial measures to reduce car traffic and increase use of bike lanes.
Supporters have lauded efforts by Hidalgo, to reduce pollution and increase green areas in Paris itself, a densely-populated city, which can become unbearable when increasingly frequent summer heatwaves hit. Some may ask if Hidalgo started mitigating Paris congestion with 40 million annual visitors - we augur that Infrastructure Malta succeeds locally armed with a rich purse in this arsenal. Readers will stand up and protest that as most families have three vehicles (or more) how can we start replacing parking spots. It is a counter-intuitive way to improve traffic, but in fact, the other approach - adding more roads and other accommodations for cars - doesn't work. See what we achieved by building the controversial Marsa flyovers when reality showed us beyond doubt, that more asphalt leads to more congestion, which in turn leads to demand for more roads.
The 15-minute approach was also favourably commented upon and highly recommended in an article posted in The Malta Independent on Sunday by architect Carmen Cacopardo, ex-chairperson of ADPD.
This "15-minute" idea is a marvel piece of modern architecture. It can be seen in action in seven cities - Barcelona, Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Melbourne, Milan, Paris and Portland - with the aim of inspiring other local governments around the world in replicating such a concept.
It explains the liberal approach each city is taking, the background to its development, key features and its traffic calming practices. A sober thought - with a projected four million visitors this year, perhaps it is not too late to act.
George M. Mangion is a senior partner at PKF Malta
gmm@pkfmalta.com