30 June 2005
ROADS SERVICE INVEST OVER £1.3 MILLION IN ANTRIM AREA
Capital Investment totalling £1,323,000 is planned for Antrim this year, said Roads Service Divisional Roads Manager, Dr Andrew Murray.
Dr Murray told Antrim Borough Council that this level of investment is indicative of the substantial capital investment throughout Northern Ireland, as he delivered the Roads Service Spring Report to the Council.
Larger schemes that will be taken forward include the construction of a number of footway schemes:
- 280 metres on Dunadry Road near the Old Mill development;
- 100 metres on Moylena Road, Antrim; and
- 900 metres on the Seven Mile Straight, Antrim.
A substantial improvement scheme is also planned for part of the Roguery Road between Ballymena and Antrim, on a stretch past the Ballydonnelly Road junction. The provision of a dual carriageway from the western end of the M22 motorway at Randalstown and the Castledawson roundabout is at planning stage. Roads Service hope to commence construction of this scheme within the next five years or so.
Dr Murray welcomed the continued high level of investment in local transport and safety measures in Antrim, which include traffic calming measures on the Parkhall Road and Durnish Road, and collision remedial measures on the Roguery Road.
"Most road users appreciate that making this sort of improvement cannot be done without some disruption to traffic. Roads Service is, however, making every effort to keep disruption to a minimum, by completing as many major schemes as possible during the summer months. There is generally less traffic during this period and contractors can take advantage of longer daylight hours and, where possible, avoid peak traffic times," said Dr Murray.
"Road Service will be making every effort to give motorists advance warning of roadworks through signage and information prior to works. There will be updated information on our website and radio traffic reports,’’ he said.
Dr Murray also took the opportunity to highlight some of the schemes completed in 2004/05.
- Differential acceleration lanes have just been completed at the Nutts Corner roundabout a cost of approximately £1million.
- Sight line improvements have been carried out at the junction of Barnish Road with Maghereagh Road, Randalstown.
- The construction of approximately 480 metres of combined footway and cycleway has been completed on the Roguery Road between Loughbeg Road, and Gortgill.
- Traffic signals have been installed at the junction of Steeple Road and the link road from the Old Steeple Road as part of the Safer Routes to Schools project.
- Additional car parking has been provided adjacent to the existing John Street car park in Randalstown.
- Traffic calming measures have been introduced on the Ballycraigy Road, Antrim.
- Further work has been completed on the replacement of the motorway central earth barrier with a 5.2 km extension of the safety barrier from M2 Rathbeg Roundabout (Route B95) to M22 Whitehill Bridge (Maghereagh Road, Route U1050). Work on this stage of the replacement of the barrier commenced in mid August and took approximately 10 weeks to complete at a total cost of £525,000.
- Substantial lengths of resurfacing were also carried out on the M2 near the Templepatrick Interchange, the A26 Tully Road, the B39 Seven Mile Straight and the C42 Tildarg Road.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Media queries to: Emma Flynn Davies, Press Office, Department for Regional Development, Tel: 028 9054 0007.
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