A26 Dualling: Glarryford to A44 Drones Road junction - overview

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

Scheme overview:

The proposed scheme consists of the provision of 8km of new dual carriageway between Glarryford and the A44 Drones Road (the Ballycastle Fork). This section is currently a single 2-way carriageway which carries 18,000 vehicles per day. The improvement is predominately online with the section adjacent to the Frossess trees going marginally off line.

Scheme summary:

provide 8km dual carriageway.

Current status:

under Construction

Estimated cost:

£50m - £57m

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.

Scheme update:

Construction works commenced in March 2015 and are expected to continue until Summer 2017. A 40mph speed limit is in currently in place throughout the length of the scheme.

Scheme documents:

Archaeology

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

Updated 4 February 2019