Transport authority suggests measures to beat the jams

A study by the transport authority on the traffic jams in Aldo Moro Street in Marsa has recommended additional traffic signals and the provision of another lane for vehicles approaching Sta Lucija Avenue and Garibaldi Street.

The study was carried out in the wake of complaints that a new bus lane at Marsa had contributed to increased traffic congestion.

The authority said that traffic count data taken in 1998 and last month showed a 24 per cent increase in vehicles in Aldo Moro Road. The increase was accommodated through reserve capacity at the links and junctions in the area, but the Aldo Moro link was now over capacity and the Addolorata traffic lights junction was nearing capacity.

Traffic flows in the July-September period are 17 per cent less than in March-April and October periods mainly due to school holidays, which explained why the traffic situation in Marsa was more precarious now than it was last May-June when the bus lane was introduced.

The authority said the data concluded that there was no indication that the introduction of the bus lane had yielded a shift from the use of passenger cars to buses - but such a shift normally occurred in the medium to long term. More accurate analysis could be made when data on bus ticket sales was available.

Site observations showed that although the Addolorata traffic lights junction was nearing capacity, there was no significant increase in traffic queues from March to October 2004 except when an exit was blocked.

The main problem was at the end of Sta Lucija Avenue opposite the car battery shop. Vehicles proceeding on two lanes from Garibaldi Street when merging into the three lane flow of vehicles from the traffic lights were causing congestion and a bottleneck resulted. This congestion was causing queues up the traffic lights intersection, this causing further congestion. Due to this tailback, vehicles proceeding from Valletta towards Garibaldi Street were also impeded, with the resulting queues on Labour Road, in front of the former Malta Shipbuilding.

"The cause of the congestion is not the bus lane itself but the merging of two lanes proceeding from Garibaldi Street into the three lanes, instead of the former four lanes, on the lower end of Sta Lucija Avenue opposite the car battery shop."

The authority said that before the bus lane was introduced, a bus needed 10-12 minutes to reach the Marsa flyover bridge from the Addolorata traffic lights junction. With the bus lane, the timings were: bus lane from Addolorata traffic lights to car battery shop - 41-60 seconds and: bus lane from car battery shop to Marsa flyover bridge - 80-120 seconds. However, while journey times had been considerably reduced, buses were experiencing additional delays before arriving at the bus lanes owing to the traffic queues.

The authority in its recommendations said transport related problems in this area needed be addressed from a wider aspect which took into consideration the transport problems in the southern region.

Additional traffic signals could be installed at the junction near the car battery shop, at Palm Street corner with Sta Lucija Avenue and at the cemetery entrance. The signals had to be in phase with the Addolorata signal system.

Civil works should include a fourth approach lane on Sta Lucija Avenue, a short third lane for vehicles proceeding to Garibaldi Street and minor re-alignment at exits.

Furthermore, high occupancy vehicles (with three or more occupants) or heavy goods vehicles could make use of the bus lane. This, the authority said, was a measure which would require constant enforcement and might reduce the effectiveness of the bus lane.

The report was tabled in parliament by Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett in reply to a parliamentary question by Carmelo Abela (MLP).