Salina roadworks

Contrary to what Winston V. Zahra stated in his letter (August 26), roadworks along various sectors of the Salina road project have been at a complete standstill for three-and-a-half months, not just for weeks.

As correctly stated by Transport Minister Censu Galea and as reported by Ms Ariadne Massa, the Salina-Iklin roadworks were considerably hindered by the GWU directives of May 13 to the Water Services Corporation employees. These directives, that were only revoked on July 31, halted works in three main nodes of the project, namely:

The stretch of road leading up to San Pawl tat-Targa (at the bottom of the Telgha t'Alla w Ommu); the section between the Maghtab access and exit routes; and the junction at the coast road.

This was due to the fact that connections and disconnections to the WSC mains may only be made by the skilled WSC manpower and under WSC supervision. This inevitably interrupted works on site as old WSC mains were still lying active under stretches of road that had to be reconstructed, while newly laid WSC mains were still disconnected.

It was only a few days ago that the WSC staff eventually performed these long-awaited works, with the last connections being made on August 23.

Upon completion, roadworks in these areas were resumed immediately. Moreover the laying of the second asphalt layer has also commenced from the coast road junction.

May I assure Mr Zahra that our company is responsible for the maintenance of this road for a five-year period and that quality is therefore not only a contractual requirement but is in our own interest. What he refers to as "pot holes" or "gutter holes" are nothing but storm water collection manholes and inspection manholes (now being covered by the second asphalt layer).

These manholes are commonly raised to the required finished road levels only when the final of the envisaged three layers of asphalt is due to be laid, to allow correct compaction of asphalt, flush with the manhole gratings.

Comments regarding the walls curtailing the road are rather premature as no finishing works have yet been done.

As regards Mr Zahra's assertion that the road was open for traffic irrespective of its dangerous state, we wonder how, during his meticulous site inspection, he was able to read a company's project board but failed to notice other information boards of the same size.

These boards, placed on either side of the coast road junction clearly inform the public that there is no through access to the Salina road except for residents up to the first 300 metres. Signage and concrete bollards placed at the Maghtab access/exit routes, similarly deter through passage except for narrow passage ways intended for residents.