The Msida Creek project will be delivered on budget and on time, Infrastructure Minister Aaron Farrugia said on Sunday, as a redesign of the controversial project was revealed to the public. 

Times of Malta reported on how plans for Msida Creek, which previously included two flyovers and large steel pedestrian crossings, underwent a massive overhaul in a redesign exercise by roads agency Infrastructure Malta. 

The new plans feature a 2,200 square metre piazza in front of the parvis of St Joseph church as well as a 300-metre canal envisioned to further address the flooding issue in the area. The number of flyovers has also been slimmed down to one, as new plans shift the majority of traffic away from the open spaces. 

Estimated to cost around €18 million and require some 26 months to complete, the minister insisted that pressure would be put on contractors to deliver the project “on budget and on time”. 

“Our leadership is going to make it very clear that if we say 26 months, then we mean 26 months,” Farrugia said. 

“I am going to insist that we stick to this as much as possible and that we invest in the professional hoarding required to move on with this project with as little disruption as possible.” 

Farrugia said that having been raised in the area, he was well acquainted with the traffic and flooding problem that it is plagued with. 

“I have always thought to myself why isn't the centre of Msida being maximised, why isn’t this space being used to its full potential,” he continued. 

“I think this project now delivers on both these fronts, because we will see a 40% reduction in travel time in the area, but also 60% of the site is going to be an open space for families and recreation.”

Asked whether the junction would have to be closed off completely at any point to carry out works, Farrugia said he did not have the information in hand at present, but that talks are ongoing with Transport Malta to develop alternate routes and diversions. 

“When it comes to how traffic will be diverted, there will always be some inconvenience, but we will make sure that this is minimised,” he said. 

Residents have their long-wanted open space - Msida mayor 

Msida mayor Margaret Baldacchino Cefai said that, at first glance, the redesign for Msida Creek was much better than the original.

“The council had some concerns and even filed an objection to the original plans, particularly about the pedestrian bridges,” she said. 

“Obviously we will be going into the plans in further detail and consulting with Infrastructure Malta so if there are things that still need to be addressed then we can put forward our vision. But, on the face of it, it looks much better than it was.” 

Baldacchino Cefai said that while Msida would never be rid of traffic, the project would bring more open spaces which residents have long requested. 

“In an ideal world, our village core would be free from traffic entirely, but Msida is what it is and I think it’s probably impossible not to have traffic pass through here,” she continued. 

“But the open spaces are there and this project will be giving us a piazza which is something that residents have wanted for a long time.” 

“I think we’ll have to see what people’s reaction is going to be like and we’ll take it from there.”

Asked whether she thought the inclusion of the canal would alleviate the challenges posed by flooding in the area, the mayor said that the impact of flooding had already been severely reduced through the stormwater relief project.

“In reality, flooding has decreased in Msida and it drains away much faster as well,” she said. 

“I mean water still pools of course, but not in the disastrous amounts that we used to see before. I remember there were times when the water level was up to my waist and cars would be stuck there.” 

“I think this project will complement the work that’s already been done and help to keep mitigating the problem.” 

Better, but there’s still room for improvement - cyclists 

In reaction to the new plans, president of cycling advocacy group Rota Daniel Vella said that while the new changes are a significant improvement over the previous design, there is still room for improvement. 

“One notable change for pedestrians and bicycle users is the removal of pedestrian bridges in favour of on-grade crossings. This improvement creates much better and reliable pedestrian and cycling crossings, and the green area creates a safe buffer zone,” Vella said.

“We also commend the redesign of the village piazza, which stops traffic flow and creates an open space for people. Prioritising open spaces in a busy intersection is a step in the right direction.”

“While we thank Infrastructure Malta for returning to the drawing board, IM must improve the design further to afford safe pedestrian and bicycle use,” he continued.

“Two primary concerns include missing essential links between localities and the lack of bicycle lanes. Msida creek is a crucial intersection that connects several key localities. Therefore, we must prioritise the plan for an eventual bicycle network around Malta with immediate effect and include bicycle lanes in such high-speed zones.”

“We also highlight that space is available for such interventions. Following our meeting about this project with IM, we have now prepared all our feedback. We will provide this feedback to Infrastructure Malta and publish it on our platforms.”