Gozo and Planning Minister Clint Camilleri visited the ongoing works on Triq Marsalforn and announced that 60% of one of the largest road infrastructure projects in Gozo is now complete.Triq Marsalforn, measuring 3.5 kilometres in length, is one of the longest and most important arteries connecting Rabat to Marsalforn.“Sixty percent of the Marsalforn Road project is now completed. We have opened Triq Ġorġ Pisani and Triq Patri Ġaċintu Camenzuli, which serve as the new bypass connecting the outskirts of Rabat directly to Marsalforn. The main road works leading from Rabat to Marsalforn are progressing efficiently and swiftly,” said Camilleri.He went on to say that “many new underground services have already been installed, and additional services are still being implemented along the full three-kilometre stretch of the road. Parts of the road have already been opened after laying tarmac on several lanes, allowing traffic to flow towards Marsalforn. We will continue working to ensure that by next summer, the road will be nearly complete and able to handle traffic to Marsalforn more effectively.”Camilleri also thanked Din L-Art Ħelwa for collaborating with the Ministry to ensure that a number of trees were not only preserved but also relocated. Mature trees were saved, and a substantial number of new trees will be planted along Triq Marsalforn, maintaining and enhancing the road’s defining feature of tree-lined sides.The Marsalforn Road project includes several new services: water and drainage systems, a new water supply for farmers, a modern rainwater management system, and a new lighting system to accommodate increased demand for Marsalforn. The project is being executed with particular attention to the environment and nearby archaeological sites, with plans to protect existing trees, integrate new green spaces, and minimise impact on natural land.Approximately 300 mature indigenous trees will be planted along the road, while more than 200 other trees will be preserved. Daniel Cilia from Din L-Art Ħelwa Gozo explained that, at the insistence of Minister Camilleri, many trees were saved in addition to the hundreds of new trees that will be planted, ensuring that Marsalforn Road will be greener and more aesthetically pleasing than before. He also thanked Minister Camilleri for the collaboration that led to this agreement.The first phase, the Ġorġ Pisani bypass measuring half a kilometre, opened to vehicles last November, significantly reducing the need for traffic to pass through the centre of Rabat. This phase includes a new bridge over the Karawendi valley, entirely new stormwater structures, and the preservation of an ancient barrier converted into a rainwater basin.Works are currently underway in three sections of the road simultaneously to maintain a fast pace of progress. In the area near the Capuchin Church, a complete junction improvement is being carried out, including new sidewalks and green areas to create a more organised, safer public square.Minister Camilleri concluded by stating that Triq Marsalforn is in an advanced stage of reconstruction as part of a broader infrastructure improvement programme currently underway in Gozo.•