Infrastructure Malta plants 8,719 trees in 2019

• 04 Jan, 2020 |

Infrastructure Malta planted 8,719 indigenous trees in 40 sites in 18 localities across Malta in 2019.

This initiative forms part of an environmental investment exceeding €1 million which also includes a long-term care and watering programme to ensure that these trees are well established in their new environment during the next few years. The agency is now working to extend this programme and plant more trees in other parts of Malta in the new year.    

Earlier in 2019, Infrastructure Malta invited local councils, non-governmental organisations and other entities to propose roadside public spaces and other urban and rural areas that can be improved with new trees. Infrastructure Malta’s arborists reviewed the proposals received and drafted landscaping plans specifying the most appropriate quantities and species of trees required for each site. Works started in summer and intensified during the last quarter of the year, considered to be one of the most favourable periods for tree planting. In some locations, before planting the new trees Infrastructure Malta also carried out preparatory cleaning and civil works to upgrade the sites and improve their soil quality.

Originally, this project aimed to add 6,700 new trees in Malta by the end of 2019. However, following an overwhelming response from local councils and other organisations, Infrastructure Malta extended it to include another 2,000 trees within the same period. The last few hundreds of these trees were planted in the Bahar ic-Caghaq area of Naxxar and in the San Gwann t’Ghuxa area of Cospicua between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.   

Infrastructure Malta’s arborists used a variety of over 30 indigenous tree species for the 40 tree planting locations, depending on the environmental conditions of each site. They include tamarisk, olives, cypress, European dwarf palms, lentisk, holm oaks, Aleppo pines, myrtle, sandarac gum trees (also known as araar, Malta’s national tree), carobs and other species.   

The trees were planted in 18 localities including Attard, Birkirkara, Birzebbuga, Cospicua, Dingli, Kalkara, Luqa, Marsa, Mosta, Msida, Naxxar, Pembroke, Qormi, Rabat, Safi, Santa Lucija, Zebbug and Zejtun. Infrastructure will continue planting more trees in other towns and villages in the coming months.  

Some of the trees were planted in new green areas that Infrastructure Malta is creating within the footprint of its arterial road upgrade projects. Many new trees are adorning roads which the agency upgraded or reconstructed since it was established in 2018, such as Aldo Moro Road, Marsa, L-Ahhar Hbit mit-Torok Road (known as Tac-Cawsli) between Zabbar and Zejtun, Tal-Balal Road, between San Gwann and Naxxar, Buqana Road, between Mtarfa and Mosta, Regional Road, Msida and Luqa Road, Santa Lucija.

Under the guidance of arborists and other environmental experts and authorities, the agency’s contractors will continue watering and taking care of these trees for several years, until they confirm that they are established in their new environment. If any of the trees are damaged, or do not survive, Infrastructure Malta will replace them.

Ing. Fredrick Azzopardi, Infrastructure Malta’s Chief Executive Officer, explained that through its multi-million projects in arterial, residential and rural roads, the agency aims to create safer, more efficient and more sustainable infrastructure that supports the country’s social and economic development whilst contributing to improved air quality, a greener environment and a better quality of life. “The successful implementation of our 2019 initiative to plant so many trees in different localities is giving people a greener environment outside their homes and workplaces, and along the routes of their daily commutes. We encourage local councils and other interested organisations or individuals to continue proposing new public sites where we can plant more trees in 2020 and beyond.”

110 new olive trees for Attard’s historic railway embankment

• 23 Dec, 2019 |

As part of its ongoing urban greening programme, Infrastructure Malta planted 110 olive trees along the newly restored embankment of the old Maltese railway, in Attard.

This initiative was coordinated in collaboration with the Attard Local Council, which has recently completed an EU-funded project to restore this historic structure, extending almost 400 metres in Attard, close to the San Anton Gardens. Infrastructure Malta placed the new olive trees in weather-resistant, recyclable planters along the embankment, where the rail tracks and sleepers once stood. The trees were not planted directly in the ground to avoid root damage to the embankment walls.       

The Maltese railway, which extended from Valletta to Mtarfa, operated between 1883 and 1931. The Attard embankment is the last remaining railway structure of its kind in Malta. It will now form part of a walking heritage trail, extending from Attard’s L-Istazzjon (Maltese for “station”) Garden, where the Attard station used to be before it was demolished during World War II, to one of the few surviving station buildings in Birkirkara, in another public garden also named L-Istazzjon. 

The Birkirkara station is currently being transformed into a railway museum by the Malta Railway Foundation. Meanwhile, at the site of the Attard station, the Local Council is planning a new Tourism Cultural and Educational Centre. This Centre abuts the shorter arm of the railway embankment and will be built on the same footprint of the original train station.   

The heritage trail will also include Old Railway Road, a long residential road extending from the embankment area, through Balzan, towards Birkirkara’s L-Istazzjon Garden. Infrastructure Malta rebuilt this street and its footpaths a few months ago, as part of the ongoing nationwide €700-million, seven-year investment in the upgrading of Malta’s residential roads.   

Earlier this year, Infrastructure Malta launched a €1 million plus investment to plant over 6,700 indigenous trees in different locations across the Island. Through this programme, the agency is currently collaborating with non-governmental organisations, local councils and other entities to plant new trees in over 44 different locations in Malta. Thousands of indigenous trees have already been planted in many roadside locations, in other urban areas and in the countryside. Arborists and other environmental experts and authorities are selecting the tree species for each site and guiding the tree planting works to make sure that they can easily adapt to, and enrich, the surrounding ecosystems.

The agency’s contractors will continue watering and taking care of the trees planted as part of this programme for several years, until they confirm that they are established in their new environment. If any of the trees are damaged or do not survive, Infrastructure Malta will replace them.

Infrastructure Malta is committed to maintain this investment in the coming years to ensure that the unavoidable adverse impacts of developing better quality infrastructure in the Maltese Islands are not only mitigated but turned into new opportunities for a greener environment for future generations. 

Encouraging modal shift

• Last Updated: 18 Sep, 2019 |

Through its infrastructural projects, Infrastructure Malta aims to make Malta’s transport infrastructure more sustainable for future generations by introducing safer facilities for cleaner modes of travel. 

Several ongoing and upcoming investments are specifically targeted at creating new infrastructure for alternative modes of travel. The agency also includes many new facilities encouraging modal shift as part of arterial road upgrade and reconstruction projects. 

Pedestrian and cycling bridges

In 2019, Infrastructure Malta is building a new overpass at Blata l-Bajda, for easier pedestrian and cycling access between Hamrun, Blata l-Bajda, the Menqa area of Marsa, the Park and Ride at Floriana and the sea passenger terminals at the Grand Harbour. This structure will also serve as a quicker connection between the northbound and southbound Blata l-Bajda bus lay bys in the same area, to help bus passengers get from one to another and continue their commute in less time.

The agency is also developing a similar pedestrian and cycling overpass at Aviation Avenue, to improve pedestrian and cycling connections between Luqa, Gudja, the Institute of Tourism Studies campus and the Airport. 

Another footbridge is being planned for Dom Mintoff Road, to connect Corradino and the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology with the centre of Paola. These three bridges at Blata l-Bajda, Gudja and Corradino will have gently sloping ramps so that cyclists would not need to dismount their bicycle to cross it. They will also have elevators to be accessible to all.    

Other pedestrian overpass structures will be developed as part of the Marsa Junction Project, the Msida Creek Project and the Central Link Project.        

Central Link Project

The Central Link Project, comprising the upgrading of the arterial road network between Mriehel and Ta’ Qali, will drastically reduce air pollution in the surrounding residential areas and workplaces in Mriehel, Birkirkara, Balzan, Lija and Attard. It will also provide safer facilities for public transport passengers, over 10 kilometres of new footpaths, safer segregated pedestrian and cycling road crossings (underpass and overpass structures) and Malta’s longest segregated cycle track.

Marsa Junction Project

Likewise, the Marsa Junction Project is also providing safer spaces for pedestrians, cyclists and bus commuters, with bus lanes, a new park and ride facility, 3.5 kilometres of cycle lanes and footpaths, and pedestrian bridges. Through the new footpaths and bridges, for the first time, residents in Corradino and Paola will have a safe pedestrian route to the recreational areas of the Marsa Sports Grounds. 

The project’s cycle lanes will link with new cycle lanes being developed through the Santa Lucija Roundabout tunnels project and the ones built as part of the reconstruction of Luqa Road (Santa Lucija) project. This will create a safe cycle route connecting Luqa, Tarxien, Paola and Marsa.

Cycling infrastructure

Through ongoing and upcoming projects, the agency is adding some 12 kilometres of new cycle lanes in Malta in 2019 and 2020. Other cycling infrastructure, including shared priority lanes with sharrows, advance stop lines and roundabout cycle lanes in new road projects are also being gradually introduced.

At L-Aħħar Ħbit mit-Torok Road (known as Tac-Cawsli), between Zabbar and Zejtun, Infrastructure Malta rebuilt the three-lane road into a two-lane road and Malta’s first segregated and asphalt-surfaced cycling track. It is also building another segregated cycling track at St Thomas Road and Qormi Road, the main route between Luqa and Qormi.      

Construction of pavements and footpaths
 
Infrastructure Malta is upgrading many kilometres of footpaths in all localities, as part of its ongoing €700 million investment in the reconstruction of residential roads. In some of these streets, pavements are being built for the first time. Where technically possible, narrow pavements are being widened to meet the required accessibility standards.    

Facilities for ferry passengers

In 2019, Infrastructure Malta completed safer ferry landing facilities at Marsamxett for ferry passengers travelling between Valletta and Sliema. Its contractors are now building another two terminals with landing facilities and sheltered waiting areas accessible to all, at Bormla and Sliema.
 

8,719 new trees in 2019

• Last Updated: 30 Jan, 2024 |

Infrastructure Malta planted 8,719 indigenous trees in different localities in Malta in 2019, as it maintains its long-term commitment for a sustainable road network and a greener environment for future generations.

This effort will continue in 2020 and beyod, with the planting of many more trees in different localities. 

Through this €1 million investment, in 2019 the agency collaborated with non-governmental organisations, local councils and other entities to plant trees in over 40 different locations. Under the guidance of arborists and other environmental experts and authorities, the agency’s contractors will continue watering and taking care of these trees for several years, until they confirm that they are established in their new environment. If any of the trees are damaged, or do not survive, Infrastructure Malta will replace them.

At Fort Rinella, Kalkara, Infrastructure Malta is working with Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna to plant over 1,100 new trees. The agency is providing indigenous tamarisk trees that grow naturally in similar coastal ecosystems in the Maltese Islands.   

In collaboration with the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), Infrastructure Malta is also planting over 1,000 indigenous saplings at Ghadira s-Safra, a Natura 2000 site along the Il-Kosta (Coast) Road, in Bahar ic-Caghaq. This planting forms part of an effort in collaboration with other entities to regenerate this rare coastal wetland environment. Along the sides of Rabat’s tree-lined Saqqajja Hill, Infrastructure Malta planted 107 indigenous pine saplings instead of trees that died through the years but were never replaced. 

Another 455 trees were also planted in the first new landscaped areas made available through the Marsa Junction Project. Many other trees and extensive landscaped areas will be added to this area in 2020, when this project is nearing completion. Most of these trees and plants will be irrigated through a new rainwater reservoir that Infrastructure Malta is building in this area.

Towards the end of 2019, Infrastructure Malta also completed the transformation of a disused road between Regjonali (Regional) Road and Il-Wied tal-Imsida (Msida Valley) Road, in Msida, into a new grove with 459 new trees. 

Many similar urban greening projects are planned for 2020. 

Through its infrastructural projects, Infrastructure Malta develops higher quality roads for lower accident risks, reduced travel times and less congestion air and noise pollution. At the same time, it also aims to make Malta’s transport infrastructure more sustainable for future generations by introducing more safe facilities for cleaner modes of travel and by creating more green spaces for new trees and landscaping. 

For example, the Central Link Project, comprising the upgrading of the arterial road network between Mriehel and Ta’ Qali, will drastically reduce air pollution in the surrounding residential areas and workplaces in Mriehel, Birkirkara, Balzan, Lija and Attard and will add 212% more landscaped areas and 285 more trees than there are today. It will also provide safer facilities for public transport passengers, over 10 kilometres of new footpaths, safer segregated pedestrian and cycling road crossings and Malta’s longest segregated cycle track.

Likewise, the Marsa Junction Project is also providing safer spaces for pedestrians, cyclists and bus commuters, with bus lanes, a new park and ride facility, cycle lanes, footpaths and pedestrian bridges. Through the new footpaths and bridges, for the first time, residents in Corradino and Paola will have a safe pedestrian route to the recreational areas of the Marsa Sports Grounds. The project’s cycle lanes will link with new cycle lanes being developed through the Santa Lucija Roundabout tunnels project and the Triq Luqa (Santa Lucija) project, which Infrastructure Malta is completing soon. This will create a safe cycle route connecting Luqa, Tarxien, Paola and Marsa. 

Through ongoing and upcoming projects, the agency is introducing some 12 kilometres of new cycle lanes in Malta. It is also building many more kilometres of footpaths in all localities, as part of its ongoing €700 million investment in the reconstruction of residential roads. 

Infrastructure Malta is aware that implementing some of these projects with improved facilities for all road users can have adverse impacts on surrounding environments. In some cases, such as Triq l-Aħħar Ħbit mit-Torok, between Zejtun and Zabbar, it is possible to repurpose existing road space to add new cycling and pedestrian facilities. However, in other projects, introducing safer, more efficient and more sustainable infrastructure for all modes of travel necessitates additional land or removing roadside trees. 

Approximately 825 trees were, or need to be, uprooted due to ongoing or upcoming projects. Many of these trees are not indigenous species. Other transplantable trees are being transplanted to other nearby areas under the guidance of expert arborists engaged by Infrastructure Malta and its contractors, and in collaboration with ERA. Infrastructure Malta will continue looking after these trees until experts confirm that transplanting was successful.

Through its tree-planting project and other initiatives, Infrastructure Malta is ensuring that the unavoidable adverse impacts of developing better quality infrastructure are not only mitigated, but turned into new opportunities for a greener environment for future generations.