Kappara flyover to be open to traffic in September

The flyover of the Kappara Junction project will open to traffic passing to and from the Regional Road by the end of September, transport minister Ian Borg has announced.

Addressing the press during a visit to the site, Borg said that the project's budget and timeframes are on track - the flyover will be resurfaced in July and open for traffic in September, and the entire project will be completed before the end of the year.

At the end of the year, work will also start on the construction of another flyover at the Marsa Junction.

Also present for the visit were European Court of Auditors president Klaus-Heiner Lehne and the Maltese ECA representative and former minister Leo Brincat.

Lehne hailed the €35 million EU-funded project as "impressive", arguing that it has already had a positive impact on traffic in the area.

European Affairs minister Helena Dalli said that the Kappara flyover is a prime example of how the EU can reconnect with people by funding projects that improve their lives.

Parliamentary affairs for EU funds Aaron Farrugia said that the government wants to use the management and maintenance of this project as a template for future projects. 

With around 90,000 vehicles passing through it everyday, the Kappara Junction is one of the busiest roads on the island – connecting St Julian’s, Sliema, Gzira and Pembroke with San Gwann and Msida, as well as the Regional Road.

Before works started in April 2016, it was also one of the most notorious traffic nodes, with traffic jams from St Julian’s to the former roundabout sometimes even stretching as far back as the tunnels above Birkirkara Road.

Once the project is completed, traffic from St Julian’s to Msida and the Regional Road and vice versa will start passing over the flyover. All other traffic will continue passing through a roundabout that will be re-built under the flyover.

A rendition of how the completed Kappara flyover project will look like