A proposal that would turn Floriana’s busy St Anne Street into a garden could be considered as a future investment in the Maltese road network, according to Infrastructure Malta.

However, for the time being, the agency has prioritised other projects that need to be completed by 2025.

The idea of turning the street - the main artery in and out of Valletta - into a pedestrianised garden strip was announced in 2015 by four architects.

Cars would drive down into the tunnel at the Lion Fountain and re-emerge just before the roundabout leading to Valletta, while Pope John Paul II Square would be regenerated, according to their proposal.

The project, which would turn Floriana back into the garden city it was originally built to be, had been welcomed by former Floriana and Valletta mayors.

Part of the plans showing the road tunnel.

Architect Ian Camilleri Cassar had told Times of Malta that the idea of doing something about Floriana was the result of working there for years.

When contacted last week, the architect, a partner at DHI Periti, said that the architects have remained in touch with the authorities about the proposal.

However, despite being commended, the authorities had not yet given the go-ahead to carry out further studies.

Infrastructure Malta confirmed it has met the architectural firm proposing the upgrading of St Anne Street, however it admitted it currently had more pressing projects.

“The proposal can be considered and further studied as a future investment in the Maltese road network, after the agency completes other ongoing and upcoming projects required to achieve the infrastructural objectives of the 2025 Transport Master Plan,” a spokesperson said.

This plan lists several priority upgrades of the country’s Ten-T network, which need to be implemented without delay to ensure that this vital transport infrastructure can efficiently and sustainably meet the requirements of Malta’s future social and economic development, he added.

The spokesperson said that apart from the preliminary designs, determining the feasibility of this proposal would necessitate further studies.

Such studies would identify the benefits and impacts of this development and of the required excavation and construction work, on adjacent buildings, on the area’s archaeological heritage and the nearby road connections.

The authority said it supported and considered all urban greening proposals by individuals, local councils or other organisations, especially when located in densely built-up areas.

Many of the 8,719 new trees that the agency planted throughout 2019 were in landscaped areas in residential zones, the spokesperson added.