Mugliett finds himself another tunnel
Former Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett has spoken to it-tifla tal-Botom, one of Saviour Balzan’s employees, to tell her that he has reservations about a tunnel between Malta and Gozo.
I don’t know why he’s so agitated. It’s not as though this is a project proposal. The subject came up when somebody asked and was told that ‘yes, we checked it out and though it’s technically feasible, it will cost so many millions.’
And unless he thinks the Nationalist Party is going to be in government beyond next year, what exactly is he on about. There’s not enough time for a tunnel, is there.
But it’s not that which gets me so much as his brass neck. He, of all people, talking about tunnels and project over-runs and feasibility?
This is the man who couldn’t get a bridge and tunnel of a few metres fixed on the Regional Road without blocking this main artery off to traffic for as long as it takes to build a huge apartment block, with scandal-tinged project over-runs and links to his architecture partner’s office which had Super One running riot and led to his not being reappointed to the cabinet.
Ara min irid jitkellem. If there’s one person in this country who shouldn’t be giving his advice on tunnels and costs, it’s Mugliett.
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http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120430/local/Tunnel-makes-business-sense-for-both-islands-.417646
Why don’t they build a bridge instead of a tunnel? Many people I know that are afraid to use a tunnel. I am one of them, but would willingly use a bridge and I think a bridge would cost less.
No need to be afraid to use a tunnel – there is no more risk than crossing the road (not using the traffic lights or subway) in St. Anne’s Street Floriana.
I have used the Eurostar tunnel and the Euro Tunnel that takes coaches, very often, and the security is next to none.
It is quite safe, I can assure you. I agree with the tunnel project – a bridge would hinder the views and would be unsightly.
No doubt there would be no problems as the ships would still operate as is done elsewhere where there are undersea tunnels. So roll on the tunnel and hopefully the project will go ahead at a fast track.
I once suggested a bridge, but only subject to it becoming a renewable energy/ marine centre of study and attraction other than just a means of crossing.
Surely it would be have an visual impact, but this could be mitigated by the suggested purpose.
A bridge is such an eyesore.
The only way for the bridge to be feasible would be to section it into two with a land artery bisecting Comino right on top of the lagoon.
Not a good idea.
Bridges can be beautiful.
Nobody with any sense has ever criticised the Forth Bridge as an eyesore have they?
In fact, it is celebrated as a gem.
If anything, a tunnel would be ‘safer’ and certainly more robust than a bridge.
The digging of a tunnel, from my completely inexpert opinion, is not the only alternative. If I remember correctly the two undersea tunnels that connect mainland China (at Hong Kong) to the main HK island are not constructed in the bedrock but are pre-fab tunnels constructed in separate sections and placed together on the sea floor. The length of the tunnel is 2km (how far is Gozo from Malta?)
The Cross Harbour Tunnel was funded, I believe, through public offering and was a private investment.
Visual impact, higher maintenance and costs, rough weather exposure etc. etc. What makes you think that a bridge would cost less?
There seem to be different opinions whether it should be a bridge or a tunnel.
My own suggestion is to do nothing and leave everything as it is, even more go a step further and give Gozo some sort of independence, because that is what they all yearn for.
Considering the amount of tax collected from Gozo, it will not be a great loss.
In the event that they decide to have a tunnel, let them build it themselves. After all, they are the only ones who will benefit from it.
Not if it looks like Tower Bridge in London, Cat.
Issa qed thallat haga m’ohra TROY.
We need to spend 500 million on a tunnel between Malta and Gozo like we need a hole in the head. That is about one-fifth of all our expenditure in any given year.
If the tunnel means keeping the big boys happily occupied and their plant running, we could concentrate on reverting the effects of overdevelopment.
I would extend it down Malta’s main axis, kickstarting the metro.
Jozef, I have seen studies for a small town in Italy (just a few square kilometres smaller than Malta) where it was unequivically concluded that the underground system was not feasible.
And this on piece of land as flat as a pancake. Malta’s topography would make the costs soar.
But an underground network can still be a good idea. A bicycle and/or tapis roulant (moving walkway) network would make these underutilised forms of transport far safer with health related spillovers
I wouldn’t make comparisons without taking into account the fact that Malta is an island state. Think of the capital we use to import cars, and how a part can be retrieved if employed to add this infrastructure.
It becomes imperative to involve car importers to participate in the business model. At the moment, they aren’t even interested in selling motorbikes, even because the tax brackets are ridiculous.
The metro doesn’t have to be the traditional model, a very interesting system is that developed in Bogota’ which is a mix of underground and dedicated surface routes used by buses. As you rightly called it, an underground network can have different functions, it creates space and instantaneous access.
Jozef, I agree. Because of major third party interests, it will require considerable political will to make “an alternative use” underground network a reality.
The same engineer which showed me the study mentioned in my previous post, suggested that with modern moving walkways one could potentially cover the distance from B’Kara terminal to Valletta in about 30 minutes. If that is achievable than I think it would be extraordinary. If one could add pedal cycle lanes the better.
Such non mechanised walkways could also generate considerable financial sources to cover fixed and recurrent expenditure.
Now that you mention walkways, Tokyo’s experimenting with a high speed tapis roulant, the trick was to get variable velocities, slow at entry points, faster along the route and slow again on exit, The geometry resembles that of a luggage retriever.
Imagine what happens to the property market and how the value of a particular street can be engineered if it’s close to an entrance.
It’s like installing a lift in an old apartment block.
Now the Times is throwing kisses at the readers ? They actually finished a paragraph with xx ? Quick before they correct it.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120430/local/Tunnel-makes-business-sense-for-both-islands-.417646
The shortest, single-bore alternative would cost between €156 million and €500 million, the report says. The construction cost is calculated to range between €19 million and €60 million per kilometre while maintenance would amount to €4 to €6 million a year.xx
Still there. Who proof-reads the Times website? The three blind mice?
They obviously don’t read this blog.
While they’re at it (boring) they could bore a few additional kms of tunnel to use as underground reservoirs to catch and store rainwater in.
Semmejt is-SuperOne, dan kif m’ghadhomx jattakkawh hux?
There is so much common ground on the Mugliett, JPO and Musumeci cases. The trio, besides sharing labourite partners, were completely mistrusted back by the reds and blue alike in 2007/08 following blatant incompetencies, lies, sky high egos etc
All those parties at Musumeci’s and Consuelo’s house and other venues weren’t just any old routine parties, but were all planned out to draw these individuals into a network of opposition figures.
Sending Mugliett a phone message to tell him that he was not reappointed to the cabinet was not a mistake but a strong message which the media blatantly failed to pick up.
Others who were invited to the same parties were chosen for obvious reasons and not all the planned invitations worked out.
Mugliett is having tunnel vision.
And there is no light at the end of that tunnel as yet.
It’s either the tunnel, or eventually sooner or later another major expense in replacing the ferries; they’re not going to last for ever.
This tunnel bit cannot be more than a pipe-dream. If I remember correctly, a lot of fuss was raised about extending the heliport by a few hundred yards in order to accommodate fixed wing aircraft and was subsequently ‘shelved’.
The proposed tunnel will require much longer entrance and exit approaches and nobody seems to be that excited.
If a tunnel is ever built, the idea of an Eco-Gozo might as well be put to rest.
Are you all seriously thinking that this is even a remote possibility?
Gozo’s charm has already been lost due to these EU-funded highways cutting through the island, and now some fools want a tunnel or bridge.
Why don’t you all pool in together and fund it as a business, with a toll-paying system? Just please don’t touch the money I pay in taxes to the government.
I pay more taxes than Jesmond Mugliett’s annual declared income, plus my income is derived from honest work.