Once the current M1/Westlink upgrade is completed (in mid 2009) and the M2 upgrade is completed (also due 2009) the last remaining at-grade junction on the Belfast motorway network will be 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. When the current upgrades are complete, traffic congestion is likely to get much worse here. Thus this scheme is really unavoidable.

The details of the design have not yet been announced. However, a digital video fly-through of one proposed design appeared on the Fermac web site for a period during 2007. This video has now been taken down, and while it may not be the "final" design that gets built, it has allowed us to speculate. "Truvelo" drew the following diagram based on the video (compare to the photo further down):

If this design is followed, then essentially there will be freeflow links from the M2 to the Westlink, from the Westlink to the M2, and from the Westlink to the M3. Sliproads provide access to the local road network to and from all three directions. Movements from the M3 to the Westlink will require using sliproads presumably due to the restrictions created by the railway viaduct. No details are available as to how many lanes will be involved in each sliproad or whether any widening will take place on the Westlink. The stretch of Nelson Street between Dock Street and Great Georges Street (where the M2 currently terminates) will be obliterated by this design. Interestingly, no buildings will have to be demolished to make this design possible.

This scheme was first 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. This junction will be unusual in UK road building in that it will involve the construction of a freeflow motorway junction within a mile of a city centre. It is also very reminiscent of the original 1960s plans for a 3-way motorway junction here (see below).

Progress

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:

1. An area of land to the east of Nelson Street (beside the former "Clarendon Square" development) was fenced off in the past year and has apparently been purchased with this scheme in mind - for the M2->Westlink sliproad.
2. On 28 November 2007 the Regional Development Minister committed to the scheme, although referring to it as a "longer term" proposal. Nevertheless, he announced that a consultancy firm would be appointed "in the next few weeks" and that they "expect that this proposal will cost around £50 million".

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.

Photos

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]

Historical Image

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.