Rain routinely turns Valley Road pothole into dangerous 'crater'
Resident says repeated patchwork repairs on Valley Road have failed for over a year
Updated 4.25pm with response from IM
A large pothole at the intersection of Valley Road and Triq Santa Venera in Msida needs to be urgently mended, according to a resident.
Antoine Azzopardi says the pothole routinely reopens after rainfall, becoming what he describes as a "crater".
He claims the repeated patchwork repairs, most recently a thin layer of asphalt, have done little to address the underlying problem.
“The result is a worsening hazard that continues to damage vehicles, force drivers into sudden swerves, and put motorcyclists and vehicles at risk,” he said. “Every time you pass from there you either need to slow to a crawl not to damage your vehicle, or risk hitting cars if you swerve. I don’t know how motorcyclists manage.”
The pothole after recent heavy rain. Photo: Antoine AzzopardiWhile Azzopardi noted that there are other “lesser” potholes along the same stretch of road, he said those can at least be avoided. “The one in question cannot,” he added.
The pothole is patched up but never properly mended, according to a resident. Photo: Chris Sant FournierBeyond the safety concerns, Azzopardi questioned the repeated expenditure of public funds on temporary fixes that fail within weeks. “What makes this more than a routine roads complaint is the pattern of failure,” he said, arguing that the situation raises concerns about accountability, workmanship and long-term infrastructure planning.
He said he had contacted the local council, Infrastructure Malta and Transport Malta multiple times about the problem. According to Azzopardi, the only reply to his last email came from Transport Malta, claiming that the matter did not fall within its remit.
Speaking to Times of Malta, the Msida local council confirmed it had reported the issue several times to Infrastructure Malta, which is responsible for the road.
Infrastructure Malta said the area sustained damage during recent bad weather, "partly to the geographical nature of the area".
It said remedial works were carried out to maintain traffic safety "pending deeper structural works in collaboration with other entities, and as part of ongoing work in the area through the Msida Creek project to upgrade the area's infrastructure".