Roads Agency: 295 Santa Luċija Trees Will Be Felled But Tunnel Project Will Actually Make Area Greener
Malta’s roads agency has downplayed criticism over the trees that will have to be chopped down as part of its underground tunnels project in Santa Luċija.
Infrastructure Malta confirmed in a statement that a whopping 295 trees will be removed to build the tunnels and the new slip roads, while a further 254 trees will be transplanted to surrounding areas.
However, to compensate for this loss, Infrastructure Malta has pledged to plant 597 new indigenous trees along the project route.
“Once the project is ready, this area will have 300 more trees than there are now,” it said.
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In addition, Infrastructure Malta has also committed itself to planting another 1,269 trees at the Majjistral Park in Mellieħa, the Magħtab Park in Naxxar and in Marsaskala.
The project, which was approved by the Planning Authority last September, will see two underground tunnels constructed beneath the Santa Luċija roundabout to directly connect Addolorata Hill with Tal-Barrani Road.
The roundabout itself and a nearby jogging track will also be redesigned, the Tal-Barrani Road pedestrian subway will be upgraded to be made accessible to cyclists and people with disabilities, and a new bike lane will link Santa Luċija and Marsa.
Below the surface, a major underground water distribution pipeline will be replaced, several kilometres of underground cable acts for Internet services, traffic management ICT systems and other telecommunication networks will be laid, and a new rainwater reservoir and 2.7 kilometres of storm water pipes will be added.
A visual representation of the Santa Luċija tunnels project
Works started a few days ago with the excavations for the foundations of the new slip roads and the reconstruction of the jogging track. Infrastructure Malta said the jogging track must be excavated to build part of a 1.1km twin walk-through underground culvert, which will extend from Tal-Barrani Road to another similar underground tunnel network being built beneath the flyovers of the Marsa Junction Project.
“These tunnels will accommodate one of the country’s principal 132kV high voltage electricity network connections, linking the Delimara Power Station with the distribution centre at the site of the former Marsa Power station,” Infrastructure Malta said.
The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year, along with the Marsa Junction Project.
However, the tree-felling aspect of it has proven quite controversial, with several people expressing their anger in a new Facebook group that was originally set up to oppose the Central Link project between Attard and Rabat, which will also involve the felling of trees.
Several people have called for a protest to be held in Santa Luċija this weekend, similar to the protest that was held in Attard last Sunday.
Cover photo: Left: A visual representation of the Santa Luċija tunnel project, Right: One of the trees in the area that have been earmarked for the chop
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