Council gets update on infrastructure projects for Mid and East Antrim Borough - June 2017

Date published: 13 June 2017

Addressing council members this evening, Network Planning Manager Cathal Brown said:

“In the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council area work will begin on a number of road improvement schemes. These will include resurfacing schemes at A43 Main Street, Cargan, the B59 Tully Road, Kells and on the B100 Ballyrickard Road, Larne.

“However, the indicative budget outlined by the Secretary of State in April does mean that there are likely to be knock-on impacts for services including routine maintenance of the road network. In this area, the Department is likely to be reliant on additional resources becoming available. We understand the implications of the limited service and its long term impacts on the network and we are doing our best to deliver routine maintenance within the allocated budget.

“The Department’s objective is to continue to deliver routine road maintenance services at the current level for as long as possible. While services will be constrained, we are planning to meet all essential public safety requirements.”

Concluding, Cathal Brown said:

“It is also worth noting other projects in the area recently completed including the new A26 Glarryford to A44 Drones road dualling scheme, which officially opened yesterday. This new scheme will halve journey times during peak periods, remove traffic queues, reduce driver frustration and improve safety on the route for the 18,000 commuters who use it daily.

“Other schemes include major improvements at the junction of B62 Cullybackey Road with Woodtown Road. This involved realignment of Woodtown Road on the approach to the B62 Cullybackey Road and was completed on 1 July 2016 at a cost of £530,000. The scheme has removed much of the uncertainty that existed for traffic at this location by increasing the distance between the two junctions and providing dedicated right-turn lanes, resulting in improved safety and reducing delays.

“Significant sections of carriageway resurfacing were also carried out on A42 at Main Street and Ballynafie Road, Portglenone; Galgorm Road, Ballymena; A43 Glenravel Road, Cargan; B52 Kilgad Road, Kells; B94 Rathkeel Road, Broughshane; C37 Lower Ballyboley Road, Ballyclare, and; C111 Woodburn Road, Carrickfergus.”