Has anyone got any pictures of the roads of Malta?

I can't believe it; did we really miss covering a fellow EU country all those years? :D

If its not an active thread of Malta roads here in Highways & Autobahns forum it would be nice to see some road photos from the islands of Malta.

Here (http://www.youtube.com/user/ogigwe) is YT channel from Maltese roads.

Where's the [M] before the title? :?

^^ Today there is a [M] in the title :)

Here's Saint Paul Bay bypass, one of the few dual carriageways of the tiniest country in EU:
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/26300597.jpg

The photo was taken by MMg_ZBR and can be found here (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/26300597).

According to Motorway exitlists, there's an expressway from Saint Julian's to Msida and another one from Valletta (The capital city) to Floriana. I have to say too that there's no Euroroutes in Malta.

Here are Maltese road signs, from the Maltese Department of Informations;

http://www.doi.gov.mt/en/archive/HighwaycodeEng/append3(traff1)E.asp

Although, you might want to note that:

Credit is hereby given to

Her Majesty's Stationery Office

through the British High Commission, which kindly gave permission to make use of many of the illustrations originally published in "The Highway Code" of the United Kingdom of 1999.

Compiled by the Traffic Control Board Section of the Ministry for Transport and Communications in collaboration with the Malta Police Force, Department of Licensing and Testing and the Roads Department.

Typesetting and graphics by the Publications Section of the Department of Information..

But not all of those signs are British, but they mostly are (with the exception of the blue directional signs, and the yellow priority ones)

I found also such:

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/14088976.jpg (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/14088976)

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/14088973.jpg (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/14088973)

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/14088981.jpg (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/14088981)

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/14088960.jpg (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/14088960)

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/14114662.jpg (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/14114662)

very interesting, roads look better than i expected. and interesting and unique direction signs. i didn't know that they have such unique identity, i was expecting brittish style

^^ They're worse than I expected, look at those exits! Jesus! :lol:

roads look better than i expected.
Please note that this is the best road in Malta.
Oh... I'm sorry, is better. 4 lanes in one direction. :eek:
http://www.maltastar.com/userfiles/tn/t_440x0_cars_on_road_in_malta.jpg

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/14088981.jpg
You probably need snow chains, when it rains? :lol:

Because of shiny (slippery) asphalt?

^^ They're worse than I expected, look at those exits! Jesus! :lol:
I doubt the speed limit is that high, probably 60-70 km/h at most. It also appears there wasn't much room for the exit when it was originally constructed.

Am curious as to why they follow the "British" rule of the road (drive on left), rather than the "Continental" rule of the road (Drive on the right).

^^ I know but still!

Fargo, Malta was a British colony untill the 1960's, and in fact they voted to become part of the UK (note the signs in English, such as "Stay in Lane"), but only 60% of the population voted so they didn't do anything about it.

^^ I know but still!

Fargo, Malta was a British colony untill the 1960's, and in fact they voted to become part of the UK (note the signs in English, such as "Stay in Lane"), but only 60% of the population voted so they didn't do anything about it.

They are driving on the left in Cyprus too. :)

^^ Yes, same reason

They are driving in left because Malta was British colony until the '60s. But because i post many pics in this thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=285146), i know that Malta road system, outside Valletta mostly its in bad shape and needs something to be done (some roadworks etc). There are no motorways in Malta except of few ones examble in Valletta...

The Maltese plates at the cars look very similar to the Swedish plates. :)

^^ I know but still!

Fargo, Malta was a British colony untill the 1960's, and in fact they voted to become part of the UK (note the signs in English, such as "Stay in Lane"), but only 60% of the population voted so they didn't do anything about it.

The actual result was a yes vote as well.

Makes you wonder... We could have ended up with the "United Kingdom of Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Malta"!

Couple roads from Malta islands:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5254/5520128057_8a9c5c82c3_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/22455491@N02/5520128057/)
The (not so) Blue Grotto. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/22455491@N02/5520128057/) by Renown (http://www.flickr.com/people/22455491@N02/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5183/5593638354_202958a9a9_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/md9/5593638354/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/md9/5593638354/) by Lomacar (http://www.flickr.com/people/md9/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5012/5516223828_15c2c13433_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gratefulghoul/5516223828/)
Road to Valetta (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gratefulghoul/5516223828/) by Grateful Ghoul (http://www.flickr.com/people/gratefulghoul/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5254/5483208685_27ba592b5b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jordanaroberts/5483208685/)
Saint Julians, Malta. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jordanaroberts/5483208685/) by Jordd01 (http://www.flickr.com/people/jordanaroberts/), on Flickr

The Maltese plates at the cars look very similar to the Swedish plates. :)
And couple photos of Maltese license plates:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5147/5605005465_8eb6b66864_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/elsie/5605005465/)
"Bob the builder" bus (http://www.flickr.com/photos/elsie/5605005465/) by Elsie esq. (http://www.flickr.com/people/elsie/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5020/5465685916_8ef50e22e1_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/john-r-d/5465685916/)
Abandoned? No - just the Maltese way of parking (on a main road, a bus route, at a pedestrian crossing) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/john-r-d/5465685916/) by juangon (http://www.flickr.com/people/john-r-d/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5138/5447880200_ac6b52b372_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/etylik/5447880200/)
Maltese car (http://www.flickr.com/photos/etylik/5447880200/) by ETYLIK (http://www.flickr.com/people/etylik/), on Flickr

The actual result was a yes vote as well.

Makes you wonder... We could have ended up with the "United Kingdom of Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Malta"!

Yes, that would've been interesting, thats for sure!

I'd like to drive in Malta one day, seems like fun:lol:

i have seriously started to think about holidays at Malta this year :)

My parents went to Malta last month and drove around the island. My dad said that many of the minor roads connecting villages resemble horse tracks more than paved roads!

My parents went to Malta last month and drove around the island. My dad said that many of the minor roads connecting villages resemble horse tracks more than paved roads!
I was there 2 years ago and all roads were in perfectly reasonable condition, while traffic was very little. The only problems that I remember were in the southern parts of the big island, Malta, near the illegal immigrants camps. I didn't rent a car: I used the great old buses and some tourist minivans.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3289/3284892951_4d8766c83c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/islandphotos/3284892951/)
The Coast Road (http://www.flickr.com/photos/islandphotos/3284892951/) by Gremxul (http://www.flickr.com/people/islandphotos/), on Flickr

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2659/3744800085_15e381e45c_z.jpg?zz=1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cfarrugia/3744800085/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cfarrugia/3744800085/) by Chris Farrugia (chrisfarrugia.net) (http://www.flickr.com/people/cfarrugia/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/2815157146_e9593b5e8d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20012491@N00/2815157146/)
/postcard from the summer/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20012491@N00/2815157146/) by anti_popsa (http://www.flickr.com/people/20012491@N00/), on Flickr

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/5/4673236_49d62a1b9c_z.jpg?zz=1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/royski/4673236/)
Maltese roads (http://www.flickr.com/photos/royski/4673236/) by Exogenous (http://www.flickr.com/people/royski/), on Flickr

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2760/4195322133_5ffc46095c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/22455491@N02/4195322133/)
Out in the wilds. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/22455491@N02/4195322133/) by Renown (http://www.flickr.com/people/22455491@N02/), on Flickr

A picture taken in 2003
http://foto.autosnelwegen.net/19-04-11/DVC00053.JPG

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4855259926_8ac617167e_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/scootzsx/4855259926/)
No. 64 to St Julian's (http://www.flickr.com/photos/scootzsx/4855259926/) by Scootzsx (http://www.flickr.com/people/scootzsx/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/5035373968_ee62015fa3_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sil3ntp8nd8/5035373968/)
Shiny Roads (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sil3ntp8nd8/5035373968/) by Steven Pham | stevenphamphoto.com (http://www.flickr.com/people/sil3ntp8nd8/), on Flickr

General view of Malta's road system:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5305/5751422127_7516affaf1_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-wmt-metrobus/5751422127/)
Malta Bus FBY 774 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-wmt-metrobus/5751422127/) by Metrobus3083 (http://www.flickr.com/people/mr-wmt-metrobus/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5262/5751420597_b845536e11_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-wmt-metrobus/5751420597/)
Malta Bus FBY 779 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-wmt-metrobus/5751420597/) by Metrobus3083 (http://www.flickr.com/people/mr-wmt-metrobus/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3030/5751824874_da820cf26d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-wmt-metrobus/5751824874/)
Malta Bristol LH EBY 592 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-wmt-metrobus/5751824874/) by Metrobus3083 (http://www.flickr.com/people/mr-wmt-metrobus/), on Flickr

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2252/5751282075_d9e955983c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-wmt-metrobus/5751282075/)
Malta Bus EBY 632 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-wmt-metrobus/5751282075/) by Metrobus3083 (http://www.flickr.com/people/mr-wmt-metrobus/), on Flickr

Looks not really good, maybe because of old photo?

^^ Road system of Malta is little old indeed; few parts are OK, good and mostly around the biggest city of the islands, Valletta.

Government of Malta financed a feasibility study for a road tunnel between main island and Gozo:
http://www.dca.gov.mt/News.aspx?newsid=2271&lid=1

[...]
Four potential tunnels alignments have been assessed at a preliminary, conceptual level ranging in length between 6 and 10 kilometres depending on their depth and structural design..
[...]
Based on the reviewed case studies, the range of costs (in 2010 prices) estimated for the construction of the fixed link is wide and would depend on ground conditions and other circumstances. The consultants have estimated a range of costs for each tunnel alignment option between €156m for a single-bore 3-lane bi-directional tunnel right up to €1080m for a twin-bore 2-lane uni-directional tunnel.
[...]
The Consultants found that:
With regard to the overall length, depth, configuration and size of tunnels an undersea tunnel link between Malta and Gozo would be technically feasible and does not exceed the capability of modern technology;
The geology of the area is potentially complex and not well documented. A detailed geological and geotechnical investigation is required to determine the optimum tunnel alignment, construction methodology and more detailed estimates of construction costs;
The typical construction stage for a tunnel of this nature would be approximately 5 to 7 years, but this average duration is strongly dependant on the geological environment;
A road tunnel link between Malta and Gozo could potentially be co-financed by the European Union under the Cohesion Fund;
The securing of external financing for the construction of a fixed link between Malta and Gozo would require a full feasibility study. Consultants advise that no external funding would be considered without a comparative assessment of other options to verify what is the most economically and environmentally advantageous way to link the islands.
[...]
A full feasibility shall require among other things detailed geological and geo-technical investigations including full geological mapping, geophysical investigations and core drilling, detailed designs, environment impact and risk assessments.

This should be interesting. Anyways, I've heard that more than 60% approve of a road bridge/tunnel connection. Hopefully this materializes someday :)

A bridge is not an option? Two bridges of 2 kilometers and 1 kilometer can also link both islands.

^^ From the same document:

The securing of external financing for the construction of a fixed link between Malta and Gozo would require a full feasibility study. Consultants advise that no external funding would be considered without a comparative assessment of other options to verify what is the most economically and environmentally advantageous way to link the islands. The full feasibility study and environmental impact assessments would also be required to assess the following different Malta-Gozo transport options:



Bridge and/or viaduct;
Bored and/or immersed tube tunnel;
Combinations (e.g. bridge and tunnel);
Other fixed links (e.g. combined/tidal barrage; railway; etc.);
Retention of existing ferry service and/or its service expansion;
Other transport services (air, sea);
Other measures (demand management, travel behavior change and similar).


They are leaving all doors open :)

Government of Malta financed a feasibility study for a road tunnel between main island and Gozo:
http://www.dca.gov.mt/News.aspx?newsid=2271&lid=1
That would be interesting for sure, but Malta needs also to approves his road system too