The Maltese Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects has called for tenders to build two tunnels beneath the Santa Luċija roundabout in the country.
The building of two tunnels beneath the Santa Luċija roundabout would aim to reduce congestion in the area, as the roundabout is a busy node in Malta’s transport network, serving the cities of Santa Luċija, Paola and Tarxien, as well as thousands of daily travellers passing through the region.
The new design of the roundabout also aims to ensure that it is safer to use, and the tunnels would directly connect Santa Luċija Avenue to Tal-Barrani Road, so that traffic using the busy thoroughfare will not need to stop at the roundabout, but can instead travel directly across it.
The project is expected to cost more than €20m, and planning began in late 2017. Funding of the new tunnels will be led by a new infrastructure agency, to be established by the Maltese government in the next few weeks.
What will the project involve?
The call for tenders includes digging two tunnels, each longer than 100 metres, under the roundabout. Alongside the construction of these tunnels, the project will also factor in the improvement of several water, electricity and telecommunications distribution services which pass under the roundabout.
The existing roundabout above the tunnels must also be rebuilt with improved access to surrounding roads, and with improved safety.
Maltese minister for transport, Dr Ian Borg, said that the plan to improve road infrastructure at the roundabout were part of the country’s wider strategy to improve transport and sustainability, and to create a more intelligent transport system across the breadth of Malta.
Borg said: “Everything we do needs to be implemented as part of a long-term plan, with measures of different levels and sizes which fully complement each other… These projects will continue to improve the efficiency and safety of one of the main routes between the north, centre, and south of the country; roads which see tens of thousands of commuters every day.”
