New and improved roads are created by statute under the various provisions in The Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993. Before construction of a strategic road improvement can proceed, TransportNI must:
- make a Direction Order identifying that part of the proposed road which will be come part of the province's trunk road network
- make a Vesting Order to compulsorily acquire the land required to construct the proposed road improvement
- seek approval of an environmental statement which predicts the environmental effects the proposed road will have and details the measures proposed to reduce or eliminate those effects