MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS INSPECTS ROAD PROJECTS IN MELLIEHA

The Minister for Transport and Communications, the Hon. Censu Galea, this morning inspected various sites in Mellieha, where road works are being carried out by the Roads Department.

The Roads Department has over the last years been working closely with the Mellieha Local Council on various roads projects in the locality.

This project consists in the construction of over two kilometres of roads in this major residential area of Mellieha, which have been in an unmade state for many years. Correction of the previous unmade ground to bring the road to proper formation was carried out last year and now work is proceeding on the construction of four and a half kilometres of footpaths, service ducts and water culverts. This work is being carried out in Triq il-Fortizza, Triq il-Garni, Triq il-Bebuna, Triq Ta’ Masrija, Triq il-Gargir, Triq il-Garzella, Triq ir-Rattan, Triq il-Barrada, Triq Znuber, Triq in-Nasses, Triq il-Kunsill ta’ L-Ewropa, Triq il-Barrieri, Triq Sta. Marija.

The footpath will be utilised to incorporate a service duct in which service utilities such as Water Services Corporation pipes, and Maltacom, Melita Cable and Enemalta Corporation cables will be installed. This is being done in line with the Ministry’s declared objective of changing old practices, when these services used to be placed in trenches beneath the asphalt, with the consequent damages to the road surface whenever extension or repair works needed to be carried out. The service duct under construction will be accessible for routine maintenance, so that any repair works can be carried out without the need for excavation works, since it is covered by a series of precast slabs which can be removed to access the pipes and cables inside the duct. 

A rainwater drainage network is also being constructed. This is planned to drain the storm water flowing into Triq Ta’ Masrija and Louis Wettinger Road and its consequent channelization to lower ground. This will avoid water having to run on the surface of the Mellieha Bypass. In this way aqua planing that used to occur on the Mellieha by-pass during the rainy seasons will be eliminated.

The cost of these works is estimated to be in the region of Lm200,000. Once the construction of footpaths, service ducts and storm water systems is finalized the surfacing of these roads will be carried out. The cost of surfacing these roads will amount to Lm150,000.

The Mellieha Local Council when drawing up proposals for the refurbishment of Main Street had suggested that the Roads Department redesign the access to Mellieha from this roundabout. Plans were prepared and contracts awarded for the required works that are estimated to cost around Lm200,000.