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  • A26 Dualling: Glarryford to A44 Drones Road junction - overview

    Topics:
    • Road improvement schemes, 
    • Past road schemes

    The A26 is part of the Northern Key Transport Corridor that links Belfast to Antrim, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Limavady and Londonderry.

    Scheme overview:

    This scheme consisted of the provision of 8km of new dual carriageway between Glarryford and the A44 Drones Road (the Ballycastle Fork). This section was previously a single 2-way carriageway which carried 18,000 vehicles per day. This improvement is predominately online with the section adjacent to the Frosses trees going marginally offline.

    Scheme summary:

    • Provision of 8km dual carriageway.

    Current status:

    • Constructed

    Key dates

    • November 2006 - Community Information Day.
    • October 2007 - Stage 1 Report published.
    • 12 - 13 June 2007 - Stage 1 Public Exhibition held.
    • July 2008 - Stage 2 Report Published (Preferred Route).
    • March 2012 - Environmental statement , the Notice of Intention to Make a Direction Order (NIMDO) and the Notice of Intention to Make a Vesting Order (NIMVO) published.
    • 27 - 28 March 2012 - Public exhibition of the draft orders and Environmental statement held at Tullyglass House Hotel, Ballymena.
    • 5 November 2012 - Public Inquiry held at Tullyglass House Hotel, Ballymena.
    • 21 October 2013 - NI Executive gave the go-ahead for the scheme to be progressed.
    • December 2013 - Inspectors report and Departmental statement published.
    • 27 January 2014 - Advanced works commenced, carried out by Patrick Bradley & Sons.
    • October 2014 - Contract for the A26 Dualling project awarded to the consortium BAM/McCann.
    • March 2015 - Construction commenced.
    • 12 June 2017 – Scheme opened

    Scheme documents:

    • Glarryford to A44 Drones Road Junction - Stage 1 Report
    • Glarryford to A44 Drones Road Junction - Stage 2 Report
    • Glarryford to A44 Drones Road Junction - Stage 3 Report
    • Glarryford to A44 Drones Road Junction - Statutory Orders
    • Glarryford to A44 Drones Road Junction - Environmental statement
    • Glarryford to A44 Drones Road Junction - Inspectors report and Departmental statement

    Archaeology

    Uncovering the history below the A26 Dual Carriageway - Drumadoon in the Early Medieval Period is now available as a book and poster.

    Updated February 2024

    Related content

    • A1 Beech Hill to Cloghogue, Newry - overview
    • A1 Junction improvements - Phase 1 - overview
    • A1 Loughbrickland to Beech Hill - overview
    • A1 Newry to Dundalk Link Road - overview
    • A2 Broadbridge, Maydown to City of Derry Airport dualling scheme - overview
    • A2 Skeoge Link - overview
    • A20 Newtownards Frederick Street Link - overview
    • A20 Newtownards Southern distributor - overview
    • A29 Carland Bridge improvements - overview
    • A32 Cherrymount Link - overview
    • A32 Drumskinny - overview
    • A32 Shannaragh realignment - overview
    • A4 Annaghilla and A5 Tullyvar improvements - overview
    • A514 Crescent Link, Londonderry - overview
    • A6 Toome Bypass - overview
    • A8 Belfast to Larne Dualling - overview
    • A8 Belfast to Larne Road - Doagh Road to Coleman's Corner dualling scheme - overview
    • A8 Belfast to Larne Road - link road and speed reduction measures - overview
    • A8 Millbrook and Antiville roundabouts, Larne - overview
    • Cairnshill Park & Ride - overview
    • Extension to Millennium Way, Lurgan (Malcolm Road to Gilford Road Link) - overview
    • Foyle Bridge - overview
    • M1 and M2 Busways - overview
    • M1 Westlink improvements - overview
    • M2 Ballee Road East to Ballymena Bypass dualling scheme - overview
    • M2 Junction 7 Crosskennan slip roads - overview
    • M2 Sandyknowes Greencastle widening and Antrim Hospital slip roads - overview
    • Northern Division overtaking opportunities - overview
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