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| A4 Dualling - Dungannon to Ballygawley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The A4 is a continuation westwards of the M1 motorway. The M1 first joins a 1km stretch of dual carriageway (the Dungannon Bypass) before becoming the single-carriageway A4. As the main east-west route between Fermanagh / Tyrone and Belfast the road has suffered from accidents and congestion due to right-turning and slow moving vehicles. The route is busy, and therefore has few opportunities for overtaking. This ambitious scheme will see the entire road converted to high quality dual-carriageway standard, and all junctions either grade separated or limited to left turns only. Approximately 70% of the new road will be on a new offline route, with the rest (principally at the eastern end) formed by upgrading the current road. At its western end, the road will terminate at a new roundabout on the A5 a few hundred metres south of the existing Ballygawley roundabout, which will remain in situ. The two will be linked by a short section of dual-carriageway. The scheme will require 16 road bridges and 5 accommodation (ie private access) bridges. Only 3 houses will have to be demolished, although a further 13 will be within 50 metres of the new road, and 197 within 300 metres. Construction will take place at the same time as the nearby Annaghilla and Tullyvar realignment schemes (see link above). A map published as part of a wider consultation in July 2006 contained a map showing the route of the proposed road (in green). As you can see, it shows around 70% of the dual-carriageway following a new route about 1km to the south of the existing route and approaching the Ballygawley roundabout from a different direction:
Map from "Expanding the Strategic Road Improvement Programme 2015" consultation document, DRD, July 2006. In mid 2005 the combined cost for this scheme and the upgrades of A4 at Annaghilla and the A5 at Tullyvar was given as £117.7m (£102m for the A4, £15.7m for Annaghilla/Tullyvar). However by the time the scheme began in February 2008, the combined cost was given as £134. The cost of £116m stated above is an estimate which assumes that the proportions of the costs remain the same. This may not be accurate so this figure should be taken as approximate. Progress 13 Feb 2008: The first sod on the scheme was cut today by Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy. The cost of the scheme seems to have risen again - by about 14% to an estimated £116m. Although it is stated that the scheme will last 3 years, the contractor's signage on the road itself states the completion date as "December 2010". The press release also stated that "It is envisaged that disruption to traffic will be largely confined to the latter half of the three year construction period the scheme." 22 Dec 2007: According to this press release, the contract was finally signed in mid December, six months after the date reported by the Irish TImes in May. Since the contract also includes the A1 dual-carriageway around Newry, it's unclear what, if any, delay there will be to the commencement of the A4 project which is still officially to begin by the Spring. Also, advanced site and vegetation clearance work has now begun at Tullyallen Road, Aghintober Road, Cabragh, Reaskmore, Killybracken and Old Eglish. 23 May 2007: According to an article in the Irish Times yesterday, Roads Service is set to sign the contract with the builder in June 2007, with work starting "by" Spring 2008 and lasting three years. 29 March 2007: Some preliminary site works have begun at Ballygawley, where the foundations for the new roundabout and link road are being prepared - see photo below. Fences have also appeared sporadically defining the land that has already been vested. Junction Strip Map The junctions on the new road will be at the following locations, according to the leaflet "A4 and A5 Corridor Improvements" released by the Roads Service in December 2005 [east to west]. Note that the westernmost section features the longest stretch without junctions. The names below are the names given by the Roads Service and are thus likely to become the 'official' names. Distances are between the approximate centre of each junction.
Problems Given that the existing A4 will remain in-situ for about 70% of its current length, it seems odd and disappointing that there are going to be as many as 6 grade-separated junctions and 4 LILO junctions. The compact design of the junctions, their proximity in places and the sheer number of them will rule out any possiblity of upgrading the route to motorway standard - as part of the M1 - without rebuilding the junctions. Just three junctions, sited at Old Eglish Road, Killyliss and Cabragh would have offered a much better road, without offering much disadvantage to locals since the A4 remains in situ in many places. For the length from Killyliss to the M1, about 4000 metres of new single-carriageway link roads would have provided the same level of access as currently. In addition, the proposed sliproads seem very short for a 70mph road - just 80 metres in the case of Cabragh, for example. This will mean large vehicles, such as lorries, attempting to join the road at perhaps 20 to 30mph and in busy periods being forced to continue onto the hard shoulder to build up enough speed. The scheme as proposed will offer huge advantages but the design may still be seen as short sighted by generations to come. Photos
A snowy A4 in its current form, seen here near Castlecaulfield. [Photo by Wesley Johnston]
The M1 cafe and service station face each other across the A4 near Old Eglish Road. At this point, the new carriageway will mean widening on both sides, but the majority on the far side. Access will be via sliproads and a bridge only. [Photo by Wesley Johnston, Mar 2007]
The foundations of the new Ballygawley roundabout taking shape in March 2007. Taken from the A5 Tullyvar Road. [Photo by Wesley Johnston] |
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