Gozo now has its first bypass, which will connect the city of Victoria with the Marsalforn road — a project aimed at reducing the heavy volume of traffic that passes every day through the centre of Victoria. The construction of this bypass was an ambitious and demanding project, though not without challenges. Among these were several archaeological findings, all of which were documented and preserved. There was also the challenge of managing rainwater. To address this, a water channel had to be built. In addition, a bridge had to be constructed to preserve a barrier that was discovered in the area, which will also be used to collect rainwater.

On another front, work has now also begun on the Marsalforn road itself. In connection with this work, telecommunications’ infrastructure, which had been installed too close to the road surface, was removed. To carry out this task, the temporary infrastructure had to be provisionally diverted to the side of the road, allowing the residents of Marsalforn to continue receiving uninterrupted service. Now that this work has been completed, work has begun on installing new services and reconstructing the road. This work is expected to be finished by the second half of next year.

It is worth noting that after the necessary permits were issued by the Planning Authority, and on the initiative of the Minister for Gozo and Planning, discussions continued with Din l-Art Ħelwa to preserve more land and remove as few trees as possible. In this context, a more picturesque route for cyclists was identified. As a result, most of this route will pass through rural landscapes, while a small section will run alongside the road. Additionally, parts of the current road that are wide and no longer necessary will be converted back into soil-covered land. Consequently, a number of trees and shrubs will be planted in these areas.