Infrastructure Malta on Tuesday night lifted in place the first of two interconnected footbridges that will form a 53-metre segregated pedestrian and cycling crossing over It-Tiġrija Road, Marsa.   

The agency’s contractors used two cranes to raise the 30-metre, 40-tonne tied-arch steel superstructure to its final position against two abutment towers situated on the sides of the four-lane arterial road connecting Triq Diċembru Tlettax with the Marsa-Ħamrun Bypass in Santa Venera.

In January, the agency defended its decision to start building the bridge in Marsa without waiting for a planning permit, saying it is to remove a safety risk to pedestrians.

IM said the €1.4 million investment will create “a safer walking and cycling route” between different residential areas of Marsa and the centre of Qormi (through Il-Ġerrejja Alley).

It will “remove a critical safety risk” along a very popular pedestrian route from the centre of Marsa (Triq il-Jum and Triq il-Marsa areas) towards several areas in Marsa and Qormi on the other side of Triq it-Tiġrija, including the Marsa Park and Ride bus terminus (Triq l-Iljun, Qormi), the Marsa Sports Grounds and several nearby industrial, retail and residential areas. 

IM said that to reach these destinations, many pedestrians currently cross the five lanes of Triq it-Tiġrija and its slip roads, which do not have any form of safe crossing. “Pedestrians need to go over steel crash barriers and cross a high-speed section of the road, as vehicles go up the ramp from Triq Diċembru Tlettax’s northbound carriageway to get to Qormi and to the Marsa-Ħamrun Bypass.”

The agency launched the first phase of the project, including the construction of the two towers supporting the steel footbridge over Triq it-Tiġrija, three months ago.

The second phase, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year, includes the construction of a second bridge to replace an existing zebra crossing at the one-lane off-slip connecting Triq it-Tiġrija’s southbound carriageway with Triq Diċembru 13, towards Valletta. 

This 23-metre structure will connect Triq il-Jum, Marsa with the deck of the steel bridge lifted in place on Tuesday night. The two bridges will include stairways and spacious elevators.

IM noted that in 2020, it invested €5.9 million to build three new bridges for cyclists and pedestrians at Blata l-Bajda (Triq San Ġorġ Preca), Luqa (Triq l-Avjazzjoni Ċivili) and Paola (Triq Dom Mintoff).

Photo: Infrastructure Malta

It is currently completing the finishing works of another two footbridges and an underpass for pedestrians and cyclists, as part of the Marsa Junction Project.

A few weeks ago, the agency opened a new subway beneath Triq tal-Barrani, creating a safer link between Santa Luċija and Tarxien. It is currently planning similar projects for safer connections for alternative modes of travel in Floriana, Msida and Mrieħel, it said.

“This multi-million investment is contributing to improved pedestrian, public transport and cycling access between different localities and areas around the new bridges and subways, providing increased levels of safety and an enhanced commute experience in busy arterial roads, with segregated pathways replacing other forms of crossings at grade,” IM said.