A road connecting Żabbar and Żejtun will become safer for pedestrians as construction begins on a segregated passageway for cyclists and pedestrians along Triq Żabbar, Infrastructure Malta has said.
The project is the first initiative of a new €10 million Infrastructure Malta fund aimed at helping local councils make their streets less car-centric and more people-friendly.
Through the initiative, councils propose their ideas to Infrastructure Malta, who then fund and implement them.
On Friday, Infrastructure Malta said that works on a project jointly proposed by the Żabbar and Żejtun local councils have already begun and should be complete by the first quarter of 2025.
Segregated cycle and pedestrian paths already connect Żabbar and Żejtun via Triq taċ-Ċawsli. The Triq Żabbar project will create a safer circular route between the two towns, Infrastructure Malta said.
“Many residents walk from Żabbar to Żejtun via Triq l-Aħħar Ħbit mit-Torok (taċ-Ċawsli) and return to Żabbar through Triq Żabbar. However, the current condition of Triq Żabbar raises safety concerns, as it lacks footpaths and cycle lanes, forcing pedestrians to walk along the edges of the main road,” it said.
“Although the road's width does not permit a layout identical to that of Triq l-Aħħar Ħbit mit-Torok, the proposed design will ensure a secure route for non-vehicular traffic, significantly enhancing overall safety,” they said.
The project, which spans over a kilometre, will also include new landscaping and see the planting of 80 additional trees alongside the existing ones lining the road.
Works will also include rebuilding rubble boundary walls and a stormwater system.
“This collaboration between the Żejtun and Żabbar local councils under the Vjal Kulħadd initiative is a perfect example of how we can work together to enhance community spaces,” Infrastructure Malta CEO Steve Ellul said.
“By creating safer and more sustainable routes for pedestrians and cyclists, we are prompting safer, more sustainable transport options,” he said.
Vjal Kulħadd (Everyone's Boulevard) was announced on September 18. Local councils had six weeks to present their projects and get funding.
Councils need to present their ideas to Infrastructure Malta alongside a basic analysis of why they would like to implement the project.
Projects can include the pedestrianisation or partial pedestrianisation of streets and squares, building bike lanes on wider roads, street lighting, and tree planting.
Councils may also apply for traffic calming measures like elevated crossings and introducing curves in previously straight roads.