Work two weeks behind schedule

Work on the Manwel Dimech Bridge is about two weeks behind schedule but the Roads Ministry is confident the contractor can catch up.

A ministry spokesman told The Times it took the contractor longer than expected to dismantle the first part of the bridge.

"There is no reason to doubt that the work will not be finished on time," he said, adding that the contractor is being pressed to stick to the established time frames.

Work on the bridge - including the reconstruction of the two viaducts, the rehabilitation of the piers and abutment walls supporting the deck, the upgrading of the ancillary roads and the rehabilitation of the underlying valley - should be completed by September.

The south-bound carriageway was closed at the beginning of December, with vehicles diverted onto the other carriageway.

Workers are currently finishing off dismantling the span of the east bridge lying between the two columns. In the next few days scaffolding will be built on the two sides of the bridge, after which the rest of the carriageway will be dismantled.

Work to recondition the columns will follow, after which the carriageway will be rebuilt and work will start on the other carriageway.

Questioned about traffic management, the spokesman said this was relatively smooth with the only diversion from plans being the closure of Baltic Street for safety reasons. The street passes underneath the bridge.