Infrastructure Malta has announced the publication of the works tender for the Msida Creek Project, which will give a facelift to the junction at the end of the creek.

The tender should become available through the Government's central electronic tendering platform by Sunday, and will remain open for three months, followed by an adjudication period which is likely to take between two and three months, according to The Times. 

Works on the project are expected to start in the first quarter of 2024.

Billed as the first major road infrastructure project that includes a comprehensive 10-year operations and maintenance period, it will see the building of a new flyover to replace the Msida Creek traffic lights junction and safer facilities for alternative modes of travel, including a new cycling and walking track.

The project will also provide for a major upgrade and embellishment of the surrounding areas with new recreational zones. The new plans see up to 60 per cent of the Msida Creek Project dedicated to open public spaces, with Infrastructure Malta saying that this will create “a more pleasant environment in the centre of this locality”.

The new open spaces and recreational zones being created by this project will include a new 2,200 sqm piazza in front of the parish church and a seawater channel, the latter also forming part of a plan to prevent flooding.

This 300-metre long, 6-metre wide channel will be surrounded by more than 500 metres of pathways in a landscaped area designated for relaxation in a serene environment. Two dedicated sea-water boreholes will see up to 1,200 cubic metres of seawater pumped daily in this channel, allowing for the continuous regeneration of this water course.

This investment includes the redesign and reconstruction of the traffic lights junction connecting Marina Str (to and from Sa Maison and Valletta), Valley Road, Mikiel Anton Vassalli Str (to and from the Tal-Qroqq Skatepark roundabout), and the upgrading of a number of nearby junctions with other roads leading to and from Gżira, Sliema and Ta’ Xbiex.

The new road design will eliminate traffic light waiting times and reduce travel times and accident risks along this arterial route, said Infrastructure Malta, whilst improving air quality in this part of Msida and other nearby residential and recreational areas.

The road corridor extending from the Sa Maison area of Msida to the Tal-Qroqq Skatepark roundabout is one of the country’s principle network nodes, connecting Valletta and the Grand Harbour region with the northern and southern regions of the island through Valley Road, Dun Karm Bypass, Regional Road and the Coast Road.

Over 4,500 vehicles go through the Msida Creek traffic lights junction every hour to travel to and from Valletta and other nearby localities.

The new 200-metre long bidirectional flyover in this project will directly link Marina Str with Mikiel Anton Vassalli Str, to reduce the impact of traffic on the nearby recreational and residential areas and promenades of Msida.

“By replacing the traffic lights with a grade-separated intersection, this project will increase the efficiency and capacity of this node, whilst reducing the existing high levels of air and noise pollution caused by current waiting times,” said the agency.

“The upgrading of this important network node forms part of Infrastructure Malta’s ongoing commitment to improve the quality, efficiency, safety and sustainability of Malta’s land transport infrastructure, and to provide the necessary capacity to overcome existing challenges and meet future requirements. The agency conducted a Road Scheme Upgrade Assessment and a Road Safety Audit to ensure that this upgrade will sufficiently cater for the requirements of current and future road transport demands.”

As part of this investment, Infrastructure Malta said it will also improve public transport connections along this route where the bus service is widely used. Wider pavements will also be built, along with a part of the new segregated cycling and walking track by the seafront, that eventually will connect Pietà with Ta’ Xbiex and Valley Road. Pelican pedestrian crossings will be added for safe connections when travelling on foot.

A new fully covered and secured communal parking facility with 115 spaces is integrated into this project. An 80kWp PV farm forms part of the roof structure of this parking facility, allowing the project to reach greener targets.

The area surrounding the Workers’ Memorial will be transformed into a landscaped green area, adjoining the existing public garden which will be extended. The landscaped zone and public garden will cover a total area of 5,200 sqm.

The new project plans include a comprehensive underground stormwater system to alleviate the area’s flooding problem “that has been dragging on for decades”.