New Marsa-Qormi footbridge lifted in place

Infrastructure Malta on Tuesday night lifted in place the first of two interconnected footbridges that will form a 53-metre segregated pedestrian and cycling crossing over It-Tiġrija Road, Marsa.    The agency’s contractors used two cranes to raise the 30-metre, 40-tonne tied-arch steel superstructure to its final position against two abutment towers situated on the sides of the four-lane arterial road connecting Triq Diċembru Tlettax with the Marsa-Ħamrun Bypass in Santa Venera. In January, the agency defended its decision to start building the bridge in Marsa without waiting for a planning permit, saying it is to remove a safety risk to pedestrians. IM said the €1.4 million investment will create “a safer walking and cycling route” between different residential areas of Marsa and the centre of Qormi (through Il-Ġerrejja Alley). It will “remove a critical safety risk” along a very popular pedestrian route from the centre of Marsa (Triq il-Jum and Triq il-Marsa areas) towards several areas in Marsa and Qormi on the other side of Triq it-Tiġrija, including the Marsa Park and Ride bus terminus (Triq l-Iljun, Qormi), the Marsa Sports Grounds and several nearby industrial, retail...