4 December 2006
ROADS SERVICE TO INVEST £2 MILLION IN NEWTOWNABBEY AREA
£2 million is being invested in capital schemes and maintenance works in the Newtownabbey area this year.
Speaking to Newtownabbey Borough Council as he delivered the Autumn Report, Tom McCourt, from Roads Service's Eastern Division, said: "In this year's programme of works, we have completed several minor works schemes.
Mr McCourt said: "These include the A57 route at the Templepatrick Road / Station Road / The Longshot. The works comprised roundabout provision and a differential acceleration lane at the junction.
"We have also carried out localised widening on the Monkstown Road / Old Carrick Road. This scheme included an extension of the existing right turn facility and creation of a dedicated left turn lane into Monkstown Road. A relocation of the existing footway included provision of a pedestrian crossing phase within the traffic signals,'' said Mr McCourt.
"Roads Service has made every effort to keep disruption to a minimum during these works and has completed as many schemes as possible during the summer months, when there is generally less traffic. However, most road users appreciate that road improvements cannot be achieved without some disruption to traffic," he said.
"In the last three years, some £735 million has been spent on developing and maintaining the road network across Northern Ireland - £495 million on road maintenance and £240 million on improvement schemes. This represents a huge investment in Northern Ireland's infrastructure."
Looking to the future, Mr McCourt said: "We have several schemes which are scheduled to commence in the coming months. These include sightline improvements from Castletown Road onto Carrickfergus Road towards Ballynure.
"The importance of facilities for non motorised traffic in the Borough will also be addressed through the provision of footways and cycle paths. Initially these facilities will be provided between Doagh and Ballyclare. A similar scheme is also scheduled between the Railway Halt and Special School at Jordanstown. In due course, this provision should comprise part of a more extensive scheme to improve non motorised linkages between the Rail Halt and the University of Ulster, Jordanstown.
"With regard to anticipated work on main arterial routes, the Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan 2015 has identified a traffic bottleneck on the Greenisland section of the A2. The congestion primarily arises between Ravenhill and Silverstream at peak traffic times. We propose to address this by widening the existing carriageway to provide two lanes in each direction. Following a comprehensive review, the preferred option involves dualling between Jordanstown and Seapark. This would culminate in the provision of a continuous four lane road between Carrickfergus and the M5 at Whiteabbey. Subject to road design refinement, availability of appropriate funding and landowner consultations, it is hoped to commence the necessary statutory processes during the 2007/08 financial year."
NOTES TO EDITORS:
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