Need for scheme
At present, the A29 runs north to south through the centre of Cookstown, County Tyrone, connecting Coleraine on the north coast to Cookstown, Dungannon and onwards to Armagh City. The A29 is a trunk road and has been classified as one of four link corridors within the transport network of Northern Ireland.
The removal of through traffic from the town centre would assist in reducing conflict between strategic and local traffic and thus assist in the reduction of both congestion and the risk of accidents. The current adverse effects of severance, noise, air quality and the impact on townscape are also likely to be reduced. This is expected to improve the quality of life for residents and attract more visitors and shoppers to the historic wide street town.
The proposed scheme
An alternative bypass route is proposed within the Eastern Corridor including improvements to the Sandholes Link Road.
The route has been designed as a wide single carriageway, with overtaking opportunities in both directions, with hard strips and verges on both sides with a design speed of 100kph (60mph).
There will also be provision of a three metre shared footway/cycleway along the entire scheme, maximising the separation distance from the carriageway whilst complying with the current cycling design standards.
The route commences at the Loughry roundabout, on the A29 Dungannon Road south of Cookstown. Heading north on embankment (max height 8m), the route crosses the Ballinderry River. The route then passes between the river and the Waste Water Treatment Works (WwTW).
The route continues north, crossing Castle Road with access provided on the east side of the road, via a link road connecting onto Killymoon Road. The west side of the existing Castle Road is stopped up. Killymoon Road passes over the alignment at the north end of this cutting via a new overbridge.
The alignment then follows the boundary of housing at Golf View through Killymoon Golf Course. The route curves to the east of housing at Festival Park and joining Cloghog Road with a four arm roundabout. The road continues northwards and crosses above the B73 Coagh Road on a new bridge and provision has been made for improvement to the substandard bend on Clare Lane to improve accessibility for local traffic and access to the route from the east.
The Bypass also crosses above the Old Coagh Road and the route then continues north crossing a disused railway line before curving to the north west. The alignment joins the A29 Moneymore Road at Tamlaghtmore Road, as a four arm roundabout.
Current position
The revised Stage 2 Scheme Assessment Report was undertaken during 2020 and 2021 and the recommendation that the purple 'A' route option along with the Sandholes Link Road was taken forward as the preferred route.
The scheme has attained DfI Roads' Gateway 1 approval and work has begun on the preparation of the Stage 3 Scheme Assessment Report, the Environmental Impact Assessment Report and Statutory Draft Direction and Vesting Orders.
In parallel with design development of the Bypass scheme, it is also proposed to commission a separate feasibility study on how the decongestion benefits of the proposed bypass can facilitate the enhancement and reshaping of Cookstown town centre to promote sustainable travel choices, connect people and communities and create a thriving and liveable space.
Public Information Events
As part of the Stage 2 Assessment Process public information events will be held on Tuesday 7 December and Wednesday 8 December in the Burnavon Arts & Cultural Centre, Burn Road, Cookstown. You can view the proposed scheme via the following links:
Scheme documents
- A29 Cookstown Bypass - scheme brochure (2009)
- A29 Cookstown Bypass - stage 1 scheme assessment report 1 (2008)
- A29 Cookstown Bypass - stage 2 scheme assessment report 2 (2010 - Superceded)
- A29 Cookstown Bypass - stage 2 scheme assessment report (2021 - Current)
- A29 Cookstown Bypass - Record of Determination (2021)
Updated 7 December 2021