M2/M3 to Westlink flyover link, Belfast - Northern Ireland Roads Site

Now that both the M1/Westlink and M2 upgrades are completed, the last remaining at-grade junction on the Belfast motorway network is the York Street junction where the M2 meets the M3 and A12 Westlink. Freeflow links already exist between the M2 and M3, but traffic wishing to go between the M2 and A12 and the M3 and A12 must use the traffic light junction at York Street. The upgrades to these three roads have served to highlight this as the final missing link in the jigsaw.

Roads Service are currently (Mar 2010) exploring a number of different options to link the three roads together. Some involve going under the current M3, and some involve going over. Some are fully freeflow, and some require traffic lights on at least one of the links. Enough land has been secured to make all the options possible in principle. Depending on the option chosen, there may be implications for the local road system, for future of the Clifton Street junction on the Westlink and the location of the on- and offslips from the M2 and M3.

You can see various maps and 3D views of all 6 options that were considered in the 2009 Preliminary Options Report by clicking on the figures listed under "Section 4" here. Four of these were taken forward to receive further study at the next stage. I have put links to the detailed maps for these four options below. Just click each of the thumbnails to the full size PDF file. (If these links are broken, then it means Roads Service have moved the files - please let me know.)

Option 1 was used by Roads Service as the basis for a model of the proposed junction which is currently (Mar 2010) on display in Roads Service's Eastern Division headquarters at Hydebank, in Belfast. The picture below is of this model and appeared in this document, released to the public in November 2008. However, it's important to stress that this is just one of four of options that are being considered.

When the public inquiry that led to the construction of the Westlink was concluded in the late 1970s, it was decided to construct the Westlink to York Street, and to later build the M3 but that the junction between the two would be at ground level with traffic lights. The adjacent railway viaduct seemed to rule out an easy grade separation, but Roads Service have long been keen to see if it is possible to carry out such a scheme. The scheme was therefore officially proposed in the document "Expanding the Strategic Road Improvement Programme" released for consultation in July 2006. This document envisaged an extra £400m for roads in the period to 2015. The plans are very reminiscent of the original 1960s plans for a 3-way motorway junction here (see below).

12 Mar 2010: This update is purely to draw your attention to the fact that the Preliminary Options Report of March 2009 is available online here (links on right of the page). It goes into incredible detail with maps of everything from the gas mains to traffic signal wiring. It also shows 3D computer generated diagams of the route options (Figures in Section 4). Four of the six options considered have been brought forward for further consideration. I have added links to maps of these four options to the text above - just click the thumbnail images.

6 July 2009: In one of these written answers in the Assembly from mid June, the Minister publicly re-confirmed Roads Service's intention to proceed with the scheme, and also accepted what they and everyone else already knew which is that "the completion of the M2 Improvements and the M1/Westlink Schemes has resulted in traffic now being delivered much more quickly to the Nelson Street off slip and York Street junction" and that "this has resulted in increased pressure on this part of the road network". The need for this final part of the jigsaw is now self-evident to motorists. Finally, they confirmed that the work which began in June at the York Street end of the Westlink is an "interim measure" and involves "widening the M2 bound carriageway of the Westlink, to provide a dedicated left turn lane to York Street, and extending the length of the existing M3 bound lane."

16 May 2009: According to the minutes of a Roads Service board meeting at the end of March 2009, the Preliminary Options report has now been completed (although not published publicly). The board has now granted "gateway 0" approval. In laymans language, this means that the scheme has been approved, in principle, and they will now proceed to develop more detailed options. Also, an Order comes into force on 22 June 2009 which will result in Henry Street being stopped up at York Street. This is a residential street that currently joins York Street at a T-junction between the Cityside Shopping Centre and the Westlink (with barriers to prevent its use as a rat run). It may be completely unrelated, but it is worth noting that stopping up this junction will make the design of the new York Street interchange much easier.

11 Apr 2009: Speaking to a member of Roads Service, it seems that Roads Service are currently considering a number of possible options for the design of this junction, and that the model pictured above is of just one of these. The options being considered include layouts going over the top of the M3 flyover, and ones that involve going below ground level. Some kind of announcement is likely within the next year or so. It is likely that public pressure will encourage this scheme, since the completion of the Westlink and M2 schemes are likely to result in increased congestion at this junction from 2009 and onwards. Construction is currently timetabled for the period 2014-2018.

9 May 2008: At last, the scheme has been given the go-ahead. The document "Investment Delivery Plan For Roads", published in April 2008, includes the plan in the "forward planning schedule" for schemes where permission has been granted to proceed with design and consultation work. Construction is timetabled for the period between 2013 and 2018, but this is an approximate period.

26 Mar 2008: No announcement was made last May as indicated. However, the scheme is very much on the cards. Two developments suggest this is the case:

Further calls were made in March 2008 by the IEC-CBI Joint Business Council for this scheme to proceed. They argue that "It is crucial to ensure that an efficient freight and logistics system is in place on both sides of the border, in time and with sufficient capacity to encourage rather than to constrain expected economic growth."

Mar 2007: It is thought that the Roads Service are actively pursuing this scheme and currently it seems as if some kind of announcement will be made in May 2007 giving more details about what is proposed. Construction dates are unknown, but traffic congestion will likely make it a priority. I would be surprised if the completed junction was not in place by 2015 at the latest.

Google Earth image dating from the mid 2000s showing the area in question. The M2 is to the top right, the M3 to the bottom right and the A12 Westlink to the left. York Street runs diagonally from top centre to bottom left. The city centre is below the image and the Port of Belfast is to beyond the top right of the picture. [Picture from Google Earth]

The proposed scheme is reminiscent of this three-way freeflow junction proposed for the same site back in 1967 which would have connected the M2 to the two arms of the Belfast Urban Motorway (constructed as A12 Westlink and M3). Full size image. See link at top of page for more details.