The redesign of road works at the Msida Creek traffic junction appear at first glance to be much better than the original plans, Msida mayor Margaret Baldacchino Cefai has said.

“The council had some concerns and even filed an objection to the original plans, particularly about the pedestrian bridges,” she said.

“Obviously, we will be going into the plans in further detail and consulting with Infrastructure Malta so if there are things that still need to be addressed then we can put forward our vision. But, on the face of it, it looks much better than it was.”

Times of Malta reported on Sunday how plans for Msida Creek, which previously included two flyovers and large steel pedestrian crossings, underwent a massive overhaul in a redesign exercise by roads agency Infrastructure Malta.

The new plans feature a 2,200-square-metre piazza in front of the parish church, as well as a 300-metre canal to further address the flooding issue in the area. The number of flyovers has also been reduced to one, as new plans shift the majority of traffic away from the open spaces.

Baldacchino Cefai said that although Msida would never be rid of traffic, the project would bring more open spaces, which residents have long requested.

“In an ideal world, our village core would be free from traffic entirely but Msida is what it is and I think it’s probably impossible not to have traffic pass through here,” she said.

“But the open spaces are there and this project will be giving us a piazza, which is something that residents have wanted for a long time. I think we’ll have to see what the reaction is going to be like and we’ll take it from there.”

The mayor noted the impact of flooding had already been severely reduced through the stormwater relief project.

In reaction to the new plans, the president of the cycling advocacy group Rota, Daniel Vella said that, while the new changes are a significant improvement over the previous design, there is still room for improvement.

“One notable change for pedestrians and bicycle users is the removal of pedestrian bridges in favour of on-grade crossings. This improvement creates much better and reliable pedestrian and cycling crossings and the green area creates a safe buffer zone,” Vella said.

“We also commend the redesign of the village piazza, which stops traffic flow and creates an open space for people. Prioritising open spaces in a busy intersection is a step in the right direction.”

“Two primary concerns include missing essential links between localities and the lack of bicycle lanes.

Msida Creek is a crucial intersection that connects several key localities. So, we must prioritise the plan for an eventual bicycle network around Malta with immediate effect and include bicycle lanes in such high-speed zones.”

Infrastructure Minister Aaron Farrugia said yesterday that the Msida Creek project will be delivered on budget and on time.

Estimated to cost around €18 million and requiring some 26 months to complete, the minister insisted that pressure would be put on contractors to deliver the project on schedule.

“Our leadership is going to make it very clear that if we say 26 months, then we mean 26 months,” Farrugia said.