Road works at Tal-Barrani to start in second half of the year, Aaron Farrugia tells parliament

Works to improve the “efficiency and safety” of Triq tal-Barrani are expected to start in the second half of the year, the Roads Minister told parliament.

Aaron Farrugia said works on the important link road for towns in the south east will only start after the airport tunnels junction is finished.

Farrugia did not specify what works will be carried out but said the concrete barriers that were put up at two traffic light junctions outside Tarxien two years ago were always meant to be temporary.

He was replying to a parliamentary question put to him by Labour MP Carmelo Abela, who asked whether any works are being contemplated.

The concrete barriers to cut off some of the cross-traffic at the two junctions outside Tarxien were installed shortly after the Santa Luċija underpass was inaugurated to improve traffic flow.

Tal-Barrani road is a main connecting route for the localities of Tarxien, Fgura, Żabbar, Żejtun, Għaxaq and the Bulebel industrial estate. It is also an important link road to Marsaxlokk and Birżebbuġa.

Apart from the two junctions outside Tarxien, another junction with traffic lights regulates access to Żejtun. On the outskirts of Għaxaq, the four-lane road narrows down to two lanes, causing traffic congestion at Bir id-Deheb.

A section of the road is also prone to flooding whenever it rains despite the presence of a large reservoir in the vicinity.

It is unclear whether the works being contemplated will specifically target only the two junctions outside Tarxien or whether they will include the whole stretch of the road from Tarxien to Bir id-Deheb.