Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1500833
NEWS 9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 7 JUNE 2023 new Paceville flyover JAMES DEBONO A draft plan for the construc- tion of a grade-separated junc- tion at the Paceville entrance on Regional Road has been dis- cussed with local councils, In- frastructure Malta said. The proposed Kappara-style junction with a roundabout beneath a flyover will replace existing traffic lights and the narrow and dangerous tunnel connecting Swieqi with the Bay Street area. The plans al- so foresee a new road loop on undeveloped land between Re- gional Road and Triq il-Mar- bat, which has been safeguard- ed for the future upgrade of the road network since the 1990s. The plans also suggest the construction of a lift and a pe- destrian bridge in Triq l-Ghar- biel to connect Swieqi with the Villa Rosa area. But the plan which has been sent to MaltaToday by con- cerned Swieqi residents who fear an increase of traffic pass- ing through their neighbour- hoods, is still an early draft which is still being modified. Infrastructure Malta CEO Ivan Falzon described the plan as an "early concept, used for discussions with local coun- cils", adding that "much more work needs to happen before a final plan is approved". MaltaToday is informed that it is unlikely for the grade sep- arated junction project to be fi- nalised in the next year and IM is currently focusing on other sections of St Andrew's main road. On Sunday, MaltaToday pub- lished the final plans for the creation of two hairpin turns; one near the Luxol Ground and another near the Red Cross building at the intersection be- tween Triq Walter Ganado and Triq Sant Andrija. Along with the creation of a new road linking Triq il-Gwie- naq in Swieqi to Triq Sant An- drija, these changes are aimed at facilitating the flow of traffic in the area. Plans for the widening of a section of Triq Sant Andrija leading to Triq Villa Rosa by six metres on the side of the valley have also been finalised but will require approval by the Planning Authority. Swieqi mayor sceptical on hairpin turns Contacted by MaltaToday Swieqi mayor Noel Muscat confirmed that the draft plan for the new grade separated junction has been discussed with the council in consulta- tion meetings with IM. But he contends that more detail is needed before the council, which has hired its own traffic experts, can pro- nounce itself on this aspect of the project. Muscat described the ongo- ing consultation with the local council as "an improvement over the way decisions were taken in the recent past". He also welcomed the crea- tion of a new road linking Triq il-Gwienaq to Triq Sant Andri- ja which will provide an exit from Swieqi. "This is something on which we have been insisting on for a long time," Muscat told Malt- aToday. But Muscat expressed scepti- cism that the hairpin turns in St Andews will cope with the expected traffic volumes in the area, especially after the DB and Villa Rosa projects start operating. "These projects are so mas- sive that they are bound to in- crease traffic volumes not just because of the commercial fa- cilities like shopping malls in- cluded within the projects but also because of the need to ac- commodate thousands of for- eign workers working in them." Muscat insists that the only long-term solution to the prob- lem is the construction of an underpass under the existing road network. In comments to the Times on Monday Pembroke mayor Dean Hili was also sceptical that the hairpin turns would absorb the higher volumes of traffic generated by the DB project and others in the area. "I tend to support the solu- tions mentioned but those are clearly intended to address to- day's issues not the ones yet to come," he added. On his part Ivan Falzon had told MaltaToday that the road upgrade is based on a traffic model study based on the pro- jected traffic increase for the coming years. 4 "These projects are so massive that they are bound to increase traffic volumes" - Swieqi mayor Noel Muscat "Much more work needs to happen before a final plan is approved" - Infrastructure Malta CEO Ivan Falzon "Clearly intended to address today's issues not the ones yet to come" - Pembroke mayor Dean Hili