Project Name:

Upgrading of Modal Interconnection on Malta’s TEN-T (road) Core Network: Marsaxlokk-Luqa-Valletta (Marsa Section)

Department/Entity: 

Infrastructure Malta (IM)

Project Details:

The TEN-T core network consists of the most strategic elements of Malta’s external transport network and includes the core sea ports of Valletta and Marsaxlokk as well as the core airport in Luqa, interconnected by a 22km core road network. The project has been inaugurated in April 2021.

Being the busiest section of TEN-T road network in Malta, the previous at-grade layout of roads and junctions could not accommodate the high volume of traffic. The removal of this major traffic bottleneck has improved connectivity, accessibility, safety, sustainability and reduce negative environmental, social and economic impacts.

The Action forms part of a Global Project to remove a bottleneck by upgrading a critical section on the road ‘Modal interconnection, Marsaxlokk-Luqa-Valletta’ on the Scandinavian-Mediterranean Core Corridor. The Global project is divided into two Actions with CEF contributing to a substantial amount of the investment:

INEA/CEF/TRAN/M2014/1036174

Upgrading of Modal Interconnection on Malta’s TEN-T (road) Core Network: Marsaxlokk-Luqa-Valletta (Marsa section EA20a-EA21 – Action A)

Project eligible amount: € 45,711,522

This Action represents phase A and major parts of phase B2, B3 and B4 of the Global Project and aims to eliminate the northbound and southbound bottleneck at Node EA20a and Node EA21 through the construction of overpass links and connecting lanes. The Action introduces modal shift initiatives such as bus lanes, cycle lanes, footpaths, and pedestrian bridges.

The specific objectives of this Action are the below:

• Construction of the one-way, two-lane overpass link from Garibaldi Road to Labour Road and its three-lane connection to Aldo Moro Road, to accommodate the Northbound traffic flow along the Core Network and provide a dedicated carriageway for the same traffic flow independent from the other traffic flows across the Marsa Junction.
• Construction of Northbound road link for traffic coming from Sir Paul Boffa Avenue (node EA8) to Aldo Moro road (node EA21 & node EA20a), constructed at grade and under the overpass road link mentioned above. This one-way road consists of two lanes to cater for the capacity of this traffic flow as well as a bus lane for public transport access in this area.
• Construction of a parking areas to facilitate the interchange of modes of transport in view of facilitating the modal shift from the private vehicle to public transport usage and other modes of transport such as walking and cycling.
• Construction of Southbound Overpass from Aldo Moro Road to Sta Lucija Avenue which caters for traffic coming from Marsa heading toward Santa Luċija Avenue (Southbound).
• Construction of Northbound Overpass from Santa Luċija Avenue to Aldo Moro caters for traffic coming from Sta Lucija Avenue and Garibaldi Avenue, heading towards Marsa (Northbound).
• Construction of link between Aldo Moro Road and Sir Paul Boffa Avenue, Sir Paul Boffa to Labour Avenue, Sir Paul Boffa Avenue to Garibaldi Avenue and the area near Addolorata Cemetery Park and Ride.
• Provision of a pedestrian footpaths to provide safe access to pedestrians to access public transport safely. A cycle lane is provided for namely along the link road from lower Garibaldi Road leading towards Node NA20a and a further stretch on the new merging lane at Node 20a (Triq il-Marsa) with Aldo Moro Road. The cycle lane is separated from vehicular lanes through road markings. A dedicated bus lane is provided in the ex-factory area from the link road of Sir Paul Boffa passing adjacent toLabour Road and into Aldo Moro Road. The bus lane is separated from private vehicular lanes through road markings.
  
  

INEA/CEF/TRAN/M2016/1367360

Upgrading of Modal Interconnection on Malta’s TEN-T (road) Core Network: Marsaxlokk-Luqa-Valletta (Marsa – Action B1)

Project eligible amount: € 3,362,220.00

The Connecting Europe Facility finances part of the works included in Phase B of the project. The Marsa Multilevel Junction contributes to the decongestion of the road network and promotes the efficiency of the Scandinavian-Mediterranean Core network Corridor. In the long term, the project aims to improve Malta’s territorial cohesion and achieve sustainability.

• Action Bl and some parts of Action B2, B3 and B4 are the subject matter of this Grant Agreement.
• Action B1 includes the implementation of the infrastructure necessary to eliminate thebottleneck at Node EA21 through the construction of an overpass link to separate the southbound (direction towards Luqa and MIA) traffic flow into a dedicated lane from Aldo Moro Road in the direction of Garibaldi Avenue.

Other actions co-financed through this grant agreement include:

• Action B2 consists of the construction of the intermediate route that caters for traffic coming from Marsa heading toward Santa Lucija Avenue (South bound). Funding provided for one of special structures is the construction of the Superstructure 15-4 (referred to as SS 15-4) which consists of a departing 115m ramp.
• Action B3 consists of the higher route and caters for traffic coming from Santa Luċija Avenue and Garibaldi Avenue, heading towards Marsa (North bound). Funding for this this activity catered for one such structure is Super Structure 15-5 (SS 15) which consists of a ramped abutment with deflection slabs at the interface between the deck of the overpass and abutment.
• The route at Action B4 lies at ground level and is uninterrupted. It serves to adjoin to all the exits and entry points of traffic to the Marsa junction – that is routes to and from parking facilities, and links to rejoin at Garibaldi Avenue and Triq il-Palma to serve the residents of Paola. One of the special structures constructed under this activity was a retaining wall, referred to as Super Structure 13-5, which was built to retain the road coming from Sir Paul Boffa Avenue to adjoin to Garibaldi Avenue once the road between Sir Paul Boffa Avenue and Labour Avenue had been lowered to achieve sufficient headroom. This special structure was funded through this grant. 
  
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