Project Green has told The Malta Independent on Sunday that works on the Santa Venera regional road roofing project "cannot begin until the ongoing Msida Creek project is completed." The reason for this is "to ensure effective traffic management," given the close proximity between the two areas, the agency said.

As yet, however, no date has been set for the project that many Santa Venera residents want to see accomplished, years after their locality was divided min two when the tunnels were opened in 1992.

Replying to questions by this newsroom on the long-awaited Santa Venera regional road roofing project, Project Green stated that the agency "is currently exploring all possibilities through extensive research and consultations" - geotechnical investigations which were tabled in Parliament last month.

The government announced a facelift for the Santa Venera regional road tunnels in 2017. Two year later, the intention to build a roof over a chunk of the regional road in Santa Venera and for this new space to be converted into a public garden was announced. A multi-level parking lot is also being proposed for the area above regional road, with three levels planned for underneath the garden. Fast-forward eight years and three Ministers for the Environment later (José Herrera when it was announced, Aaron Farrugia, and now Miriam Dalli) and this project remains a hopeful idea for many Santa Venera residents.

This newsroom has been told that given the nature and scale of this project, which is set to cost €35 million, a series of technical and feasibility studies are demanded "to ensure [that] the most cost-effective solutions are identified." In addition, studies and analysis are currently underway together with various stakeholders.

It was observed that following the project's geotechnical investigations, the project design was refined "to optimise the use of public spaces both above and below the tunnel", Project Green said. These refinements were not explained in further detail, though prior to this Ground Investigation Report, Environment Minister Miriam Dalli said that this €35 million project will see a large area leading up to the regional road tunnels roofed, with a public garden at street level.

Project Green told this newsroom that once these plans are completed, the planned garden slated to be above regional road will cover around 7,700 square metres of space; this translates to an area slightly larger than pitch at the Ta' Qali National Stadium, which covers an area of 7,140 square metres. It will be accessible from Triq Qalb l-Imqadda and Triq Reġjonali.

Project Green intends on submitting an application for an Outline Development Permit so that these works may begin once all studies and consultations have been completed. To finance the needed €35 million, "a Public-Private Partnership remains a possible option," the government entity added.

Originally, then Environment Minister José Herrera had said that this project was set to cost €20 million, that the green area would cover an area nearly twice as large (13,000 square metres), and that this project would be completed within three to four years. While the country did go through the COVID-19 pandemic during this window, six and a half years have passed since Herrera made this public declaration.

One vocal Vendriż eager to see these works begin is PN MP Darren Carabott. Carabott expressed his frustrations on this project's delays last October and wrote in this newspaper that this project is being used as a cyclical proposal to lure votes by for the Labour Party to remain in government come election time.

"As a Vendriz myself, I cannot but welcome such a project, however, unfortunately it is now evident that government has no intention of carrying out this project. Instead, it is using it as a cruel carrot, on the eve of each electoral cycle to try and lure votes," Darren Carabott wrote in The Malta Independent on Sunday on 26 October 2025.

The Opposition MP said that through these prolonged delays, Santa Venera residents have been left in the dark on the state of this major project. He also stated that "this project has been in the works since 2017, and by now, we would have studied the viability of a bridge to the moon."

Carabott noted that this project would improve the standard of living of Santa Venera residents, as the roofing will contain a lot of the heavy noise and air pollution from passing vehicles that, at present, rise up to the residential areas overhead.

Responding to a PQ posed by Carabott last month, Environment Minister Miriam Dalli stated that planning requirements have been identified and Transport Malta has suggested for a Traffic Impact Assessment to be conducted as well as other potential studies, such as one for traffic management and major junctions, a stormwater analysis, studies to observe the area's air quality and noise pollution, as well as reports on the tunnel itself, a fire safety report, lighting and ventilation assessments, traffic control strategies, and a health and safety management plan.

She added that with this project involving the design of a tunnel along the TEN-T Network, the expertise of a Tunnel Engineering expert is also needed - Infrastructure Malta has so far approved a technical proposal to engage such a consultant, though the manner of engagement is still being assessed.