A6 Dualling - Londonderry to Dungiven - Northern Ireland Roads Site

This major project was first announced on 13 December 2005 by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State Peter Hain as part of a larger investment package for the city of Derry. It will see a dual-carriageway bypass of Dungiven town and dualling of the existing A6 from there to the A2 on the north-eastern periphery of Derry city. The road will be build to a high quality with two lanes each way, no breaks in the central barrier and fully grade separated junctions (ie flyovers). Plans announced in 2004 for a single-carriageway bypass of Dungiven at a cost of £11.1m have been subsumed by this much larger scheme, although the preliminary work done will still apply. The map below shows the section of the A6 affected by this upgrade which finally got underway in spring 2018:

The chosen route closely follows the existing A6, but generally off to one side apart from an onlien section around Burntollet. At the Derry end it heads inland and bypasses Drumahoe well to the north, terminating on the A2 at Caw. At the eastern end it bypasses Dungiven to the south. The most recent plan was published in February 2016 and is accessible here:

This is a strip map of the design that was published in May 2009, and is still correct as of the updated design published in February 2016. Note that the design may change between this map and construction due to the evolution of the design, and the public inquiry.

25 Sep 2020: Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of the sod-cutting ceremony that started the scheme in 2018. With only 18 months left to go, we are now well past the half-way mark and much progress continues to be made. Unfortunately the YouTube aerial videos that I linked to in the previous update (below, 18 Aug) are no longer available, which is a shame. Nevertheless, we have a whole series of photos once again, thanks to Andrew Bratton, Dee Logue, Alan Lynas, Paul McCloskey and Polyanne. Thank you once again. The photos are, as always, arranged in order from Derry towards Dungiven. In other news, the project received another £14.8m of funding (from the COVID emergency fund!) this week. As the project crosses multiple financial years, a budget allocation is needed every year to keep the project funding, though once the contract has been signed such funding is really a given. The contractor has indicated that traffic may be moved onto sections of the new road before Christmas, which would be an exciting moment.

Pic 2: During the weekend of 18 to 21 September 2020 work was carried out to construct the future alignment of Tirbracken Road, which will lead traffic leaving Derry directly to the new Lismacarol roundabout. This is a line of road surfacing plant machinery waiting to be used on the Saturday of the works, beside the existing Tirbracken Road. [Dee Logue]

Pic 3: Another view of the realignment works taking place on the A6 at Drumahoe on Sunday, 20 September 2020 with surfacing works well underway. The original A6 curves to the right, whereas in the future it will run along the new line straight ahead. Traffic will still use the old alignment for the time being, but will be diverted along here once the new road opens. This is the same view before work began. [Andrew Bratton]

Pic 4: Panorama of the site of the future flyover at Tamnaherin Road on 15 September 2020. The previous landscape here has been completely obliterated, but basically the original A6 ran left-right across the site, with Tamnaherin Road running from roughly where the photographer is standing to join the A6 at a T-junction. Currently all traffic is being diverted around the site on a temporary loop of road behind the camera. The two white sites mark the locations of the two abutments. Piling for these has since begun, as captured in a video by Polyanne on 23 September. [Polyanne]

Pic 5: Since the beam lift at Burntollet six weeks ago, much work has taken place to join the six steel beams together to form the base for the bridge deck. Taken on 9 September 2020. The plan is to complete this half of the bridge, build the approach embankments and divert all traffic onto it, probably in the first half of 2021. [Alan Lynas]

Pic 6: View east towards Killaloo junction (Gulf Road, for Claudy west) on 20 September 2020. The south abutment and central piers have been built, but no work has yet started on the north abutment as the existing A6 is currently occupying the site. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 7: View looking west towards the completed bridge that will carry the new dual-carriageway over Baranailt Road, Claudy on 20 September 2020. The embankment being formed ahead is for both the new road and the westbound sliproad loop which will curve round to join Baranailt Road just to the left here. The patio chair on the right is a nice touch. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 8: Gortilea Road bridge, seen looking across the existing A6 on 6 September 2020. Nothing much has happened here since the bridge was completed in July. At some point a large embankment needs to be built at the far side to allow Gortilea Road (visible going up the hill in a straight line, a feature typical of 18th century roads) to be connected and reopened. The future road will run under the new bridge at a lower elevation. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 9: About 2 km east of Gortilea Road bridge is Ballyhanedin Road Bridge, seen here looking east on 20 September 2020. Not a lot has happened here either, with the central piers built, and both abutments underway. A lot of earthworks are, however, evident in the distance. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 10: This is Altagarran Road underpass as it was on 13 September 2020, now completed but with Altagarran Road still not reopened to traffic. The embankment for the future A6 has now been constructed here, showing how high it rises above the existing landscape at this point. This is the same view before work began. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 11: View east towards Feeny Road overbridge on 13 September 2020. The bridge appears to be largely completed, with the foundations of the dual-carriageway itself now taking shape below it. Traffic may be diverted onto this bridge during the autumn. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 12: View west towards Magheramore Road overbridge, near Dungiven, on 20 September 2020. Taken from the "old" Teeavan Road, which has now been diverted to make way for the enormous cutting that can be seen here. This is the same view before work began. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 13: View from Magheramore Road near Dungiven on 20 September 2020 showing the completed Owenrigh river bridge, sporting its shiny new red waterproofing layer. The alignment of the future road is taking shape beyond. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 14: View looking west from near Beech Green Lane, Dungiven, on 20 September 2020. The white crane visible right of centre is working on the abutments of the future River Roe bridge. It has yet to receive its bridge beams. Magheramore Road bridge can just be seen in the distance. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 15: Looking east from near Beech Green Lane, Dungiven, on 20 September 2020, showing the largely-completed Priory Lane overbridge beyond the cutting. Traffic has yet to be diverted onto this bridge too. [Paul McCloskey]

18 Aug 2020: This update is in two parts. In the first we focus on the spectacular beam lift that took place at Burntollet last weekend (15-16 August). In the second we look at a set of five aerial drone movies of the ENTIRE scheme that were recently put up by Benbradagh. I've written a commentary to go with them.

So firstly, the beam lift at Burntollet required two pairs of steel beams, each 84 metres long and weighing 280 tonnes, to be craned into place over the Burntollet river. It required one of the largest mobile cranes in Ireland, the Liebherr LR 1600/2, to be assembled on the site during the week before. Each lift took about five hours, so the first one was done on Saturday 15th August, and the second one the following day. Hundreds of motorists got to see it first hand as it required a closure of one lane of the A6, and the ensuing queues allowed people the opportunity to see 280 tonnes of steel suspended in mid air. Several people sent me photographs - thank you all so much - and I can't include them all here but I've included a few below which illustrate particular points. However, I would specifically encourage you to watch two YouTube videos. The first was taken by a drone by the manufacturer of the steel beams, Victor Buyck. The second is a time-lapse movie of the Sunday lift taken by Sean Wilson. A similar beam lift will take place early in 2021 for the second half of the new bridge.

Be sure to scroll down below the photos as they are followed by a commentary on the aerial movies of the rest of the scheme.

Pic 1: Maps showing the overall plan at Burntollet Bridge. Due to the need to keep A6 traffic moving the bridge is being built in two halves. The beam lift that took place last weekend is part of phase (3) on this plan.

Pic 2: The lift of the first pair of beams underway on Saturday 15 August. Both the workers and car owners are showing great confidence in the crane! The pair of beams weighs 280 tonnes. [Alan Lynas]

Pic 3: First beam pair being gently lowered onto the bridge abutment on Saturday 15 August. [Anon]

Pic 4: Next day, Sunday 16 August, this is the second pair of beams being swung into place. [Alan Lynas]

Pic 5: Workers dwarfed by the two pairs of beams resting on their mountings in the afternoon of Sunday 16 August. Each beam is 5 metres deep. The existing A6 can be seen beyond. [Sean Wilson]

Pic 6: Job done! The two pairs of beams in place on the evening of 16 August. This view also illustrates how much higher the new bridge will be than the existing (20th century) bridge. The next step is to build the bridge deck, divert traffic onto it, demolish the old bridge and then construct the second half of the new bridge to the left here - at which point the crane will return! [Alan Lynas]

Stuff has been going on at the rest of the scheme too. I don't have time tonight to prep any more photos, but have a look in particular at recent tweets by Paul McCloskey, Polly Lynch and Esther Harper who often share images. However, the following is a commentary on five wonderful aerial drone movies put up by Benbradagh (thank you!). They were taken at the start of August. I've included a link to each video at the start of each section of commentary.
Part 1
00:00 Starting at Glenshane Road, just east of Dungiven, the site of the future Magherabuoy roundabout. A strip of tarmac has been laid on the new road here, possibly to give access to the sites of the Roe river and Priory Lane bridges up ahead.
0:16 Priory Lane overbridge very advanced, but with the road over the top yet to be built.
0:47 River Roe overbridge with abutments well advanced, but no beams in place. This bridge is high enough to allow some trees to remain below it, albeit reduced in height.
1:20 Teeavan Road cutting now completed!
1:35 Magheramore Road overbridge immediately followed by the Owenrigh river bridge. Both very advanced, but neither with roads being built over them as yet.
3:02 Feeny Road overbridge, also with its deck well advanced.
3:40 Site of Owenbeg river bridge, with abutments being built but no beams. Temporary bailey bridge still in place for site access.
5:00 Passing Dernaflaw (on right). Derrychrier Road underpass completed but not yet in use. Embankment for dual-carriageway being built up here.
5:40 Site of temporary batching plant, which is manufacturing the large amount of asphalt needed for the scheme.
6:40 Site of future Killunaught Road bridge, yet to be started. Work here is still focused on excavating the cutting required for the dual-carriageway.
7:20 Start of the enormous Ovil Hill cutting, which is has now had its first strip of blacktop laid.
8:35 Passing Foreglen (GAA pitch visible on right)
9:35 Altagarron Road underpass completed, but not yet open to traffic.
10:30 More blacktop all the way to here (Crock na Brock Road). This local road will be closed once the new road is completed to become two dead-ends.
11:00 Bridge over local watercourse.
Part 2
1:00 Road in shallow cutting as it executes a gentle curve.
1:30 Works underway on foundations for Munreery Road overbridge, which will provide access for local landowners.
2:30 Road approaches existing A6, which it will run adjacent to from here to Claudy. The existing A6 will remain in situ for local access.
4:05 Foundations in place for Ballyhanedin Road overbridge. Existing Ballyhanedin Road running at 45° beyond.
5:40 Long stretch of new road where large quantities of base material are being put in place.
7:15 Gortilea Road overbridge close to completion, but still no sign of the earthen ramp that will carry the road up to it.
8:20 Farm agricultural underpass. A new accommodation lane is being built on the left, parallel to the new road.
10:00 New drainage channels clearly visible in white.
Part 3
0:00 This is the point where the new road rejoins the existing road and subsumes it for several miles. The curved section of the road to the right is new, and will preserve access to the section of the current A6 that we have just flown over.
0:25 Approaching Claudy grade-separated junction (Baranailt Road). Long embankment that will bring the new road above ground level taking shape here. Ahead is the completed new bridge that will carry it over a new local road.
0:35 Curved cutting on the right is for the eastbound on/offslip pair.
0:50 Curved cutting on the left is for the westbound on/offslip pair.
1:25 New road briefly swings to the left of the old road to achieve a gentle curve here. The section of the old road on the right will be removed and replaced by an agricultural access lane.
2:50 Site of future westbound layby visible on the left. The local road on the right will be stopped up.
4:00 Contractor's HQ. Hello everyone, great job you're doing!
5:45 Approaching site of Killaloo grade-separated junction (Claudy West). Southern abutment of new flyover and central pier are in place, but not much else. Approach embankment on the left for realigned Gulf Road.
6:00 Cutting for westbound on/offslip pair visible just beyond the new bridge.
8:25 Beautiful part of Co Derry, with the protected River Faughan to the left and historic Brackfield Bawn on the right. New road squeezes between them on the only route possible.
9:10 Large cutting into the hillside to allow the new road to negotiate the corner.
10:30 Foundations of Ardmore Road bridge on the left, at The Oaks. In middle of frame is the site of the new Burntollet Bridge, with the two enormous pairs of steel beams that were craned into position on 15/16 August 2020.
Part 4
0:00 Traffic diverted onto a temporary road here (following the route of the future eastbound carriageway). New local access laneway being built at the top of the slope.
0:30 The S-bend is a temporary link taking existing traffic onto the Ervey Road Link, which will be a permanent local road. Traffic is no longer using the old A6 to allow construction of The Oaks accommodation overbridge ahead.
1:15 Site of the future Oaks accommodation bridge. The existing road will be excavated down into a cutting here so that the dual-carriageway runs slightly lower down.
2:00 Large amount of surcharge material sitting on the route of the future dual-carriageway in order to speed up the settlement process of the soft ground. All traffic diverted along the new Ervey Road Link ahead to bypass the site of the future Tamnaherin Road grade-separated junction.
2:30 Excavations underway on a partial cutting that will take the local road under the future dual-carriageway here. The new road will be built up on an embankment. A lot of work to be done here. From here to Drumahoe the road goes back to an offline route, leaving the existing A6 intact once again.
4:30 Site of the future Liberty Glen bridge, the longest bridge on the while scheme. Work has yet to begin in earnest on this structure.
5:30 McCay's accommodation overbridge close to completion.
6:15 Approaching the terminus of the scheme at the "temporary" terminus at Lismacarol, Drumahoe.
Part 5
0:35 Lismacarol roundabout on Tirbracken Road taking shape. To the left is the new park-and-ride which is very advanced and should open during the autumn, ahead of the rest of the scheme. From here the drone follows the route of the proposed "phase 2" as far as 2:45, after which it leaves the route of the future road (due to issues flying the drone in proximity to the airport) and flies over Crescent Link to the Foyle.

27 Jul 2020: This update is to bring another 20 photographs, again thanks to Alan Lynas, Esther Harper, Paul McCloskey and Aerial Vision NI. Work seems to be progressing well along all parts of the scheme. The commentary is in the captions to the photos below which are arranged in order from west to east. Some areas do not have photographs - this does not mean that nothing is happening there merely that i don't have photos of them. For example, work seems to be finally getting started at Liberty Glen (just east of Drumahoe), which will be the longest bridge on the entire scheme at just under 200 metres in length and passing about 13 metres above lowest ground level.

Pic 1 - A set of enormous steel beams waiting patiently at Burntollet on 24 July 2020 ready to be craned into place onto the new bridge once the abutments are ready. This bridge is too long for the more usual concrete beam construction. [Alan Lynas]

Pic 2 - Burntollet bridge on 24 July 2020, showing the abutments for the northern half of the new bridge taking shape adjacent to the existing 1950s bridge. This is where the beams in pic 1 will be placed eventually. Over the past few months there have been concerns about pollution incidents in watercourses along the scheme, especially the Faughan which runs particularly close to the site at Burntollet. The matter was raised in Stormont in late June when the DFI Minister said that NIEA was being proactive in investigating. Let's hope incidents of this nature do not occur going forward. [Alan Lynas]

Pic 3 - View looking west from Burntollet on 24 July 2020 showing all traffic on a temporary road that has been built adjacent to the A6. This is to allow the construction of The Oaks accommodation bridge which will pass over the new road on the site of the old road. Ahead, the temporary road curves to the right and then to the left where it continues as the Ervey Road Link, a permanent access road that has just been built and is temporarily carrying all A6 traffic. The diversion came into use on 23 July and will be in place for several months. [Alan Lynas]

Pic 4 - View in the other direction (towards Burntollet) on 24 July 2020 showing the temporary diversion rejoining the existing road. [Alan Lynas]

Pic 5 - View west at the site of the future Killaloo (Gulf Road) grade separated junction west of Claudy on 19 July 2020. The new road will subsume the existing road here, so the embankment beside the road has been cut back to accommodate the wider road, though most of the widening will be on the left. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 6 - Work on the future Killaloo flyover is so far limited to the southern abutment (shown here on 19 July 2020) plus the central pillars (not shown) as well as some of the approach embankments beyond. It will be some time yet before the beams are placed. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 7 - View west along the existing A6 from just west of Claudy crossroads (Baranailt Road) on 19 July 2020. Although the road here is an online upgrade, it actually swings to the left here to achieve the correct geometry for the Claudy junction. The whole area on the left here will be the future dual-carriageway, while the existing A6 shown here will be largely removed and replaced with a much narrower agricultural access road. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 8 - Gortilea Road bridge looking rather gorgeous (in the engineering sense!) in the sun on 19 July 2020 with its fresh concrete and completed bridge deck. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 9 - View west along the route of the future road from near Ballyhanedin Road on 19 July 2020. From here to Dungiven the road runs offline, meaning that the existing road (visible on the extreme right) will remain in place. This was one part of the scheme that was least-advanced, but these photos show major earthworks now underway. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 10 - Same location as pic 9 but looking east towards the site of the future Ballyhanedin Road bridge on 19 July 2020 - the central bridge pillars are beside the excavator, while the southern abutment is visible to the right. Much still to be done here. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 11 - View west along the future dual-carriageway from Crock-na-brock Road (now permanently closed here) near Foreglen on 19 July 2020. Works here have included a major culvert over a local watercourse, now completed. Paul McCloskey]

Pic 12 - The batching plant at Ovil (near Foreglen) is now up and running, as seen here on 20 July 2020. It will be capable of producing large quantities of blacktop for surfacing the road. [Esther Harper]

Pic 13 - Derrychrier Road underpass has now been buried with rock and earth fill, as seen here on 20 July 2020. At a later date the embankments for the road itself will be built on either side. Much of the rock used on the scheme comes from the huge cutting at Ovil Hill. [Esther Harper]

Pic 14 - Moving now to Dungiven, this is Feeny Road overbridge looking well advanced on 19 July 2020. On the right you can see steel reinforcement being placed for casting one of the wingwalls. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 15 - Same location as pic 14, this is the view west from the "temporary" Feeny Road on 19 July 2020 along what will be the future dual-carriageway. A lot of earthworks are evident here too. [Paul McCloskey]

Pic 16 - Lovely aerial shot looking west on 24 July 2020 towards the Magheramore Road overbridge (foreground), the completed deck of the Owenrigh River bridge just beyond it and, in the far distance, the Feeny Road overbridge. Since Teeavan Road was closed in May (see its little surviving stretch clinging on on the right) the remainder of the cutting has now been fully excavated. [Aerial Vision NI]

Pic 17 - Moving a little further east than pic 16, this is the view looking west from above the site of the River Roe bridge. This bridge will pass over the river above tree height, and both abutments are taking shape. The white membrane is designed to reduce run off into rivers. 24 July 2020 [Aerial Vision NI]

Pic 18 - Another view of the River Roe bridge site, this time looking east, on 24 July 2020. The terminus of the scheme is on the upper right. Priory Lane overbridge, the last structure on the scheme, can be seen just before it. [Aerial Vision NI]

Pic 19 - View of the terminus of the scheme at the future Magherabuoy roundabout (large site beore the red houses ahead) and the deck of Priory Lane overbridge under construction. The first layers of blacktop are evident here (this might have been placed to provide access for the crane that will be used to install the bridge beams at the River Roe). No work appears to have happened yet on the new stretch of Priory Lane that will be needed to pass over this bridge. [Aerial Vision NI]

Pic 20 - Our final shot is of Priory Lane overbridge, Dungiven, seen here on 19 July 2020 with work well underway on the bridge deck. [Aerial Vision NI]

The Regional Strategic Transport Plan, published in 2004, explained why it was thought that further dualling of the 40km of the A6 beyond Castledawson could not go ahead before 2015:

This lack of funding was rectified suddenly and somewhat unexpectedly in December 2005 by the announcement of sufficient funding for the Dungiven to Derry section. Prophetically, the RSTN did comment that "It is... likely that future dualling in the 2015 to 2025 period will commence at the Londonderry end of the route." This is because traffic levels are highest at the Toome and Derry ends of the A6, and lowest at the Glenshane Pass and because of the difficult terrain crossing the Sperrins. Traffic figures collected in 2004 showed the following daily traffic at various points on the A6:

A typical view of the A6 road in its current form, here seen near Dungiven. [Photo by Wesley Johnston]

Dungiven town centre is the biggest bottleneck on the route, and will get a bypass. [Photo by Wesley Johnston]

Lots more photos of the road are available on the Roads Service web site - see link at the top of this page.