A5 - New route announced

serfboard

From the BBC:

BBC wrote:

Transport Minister Conor Murphy has identified the preferred route for the A5 Western Transport Corridor.

The announcement was made in Omagh on Tuesday. The minister responsible for transport in the Irish Republic, Noel Dempsey, also attended the launch.

The new road will be an 86km long dual carriageway from Londonderry to Aughnacloy and is estimated to cost between £650m and £850m.

<snip>
The minister said the road was a significant step in improving connections between Dublin, Derry and Donegal and would facilitate possible future road links between the A5 and the A6 and also across the River Foyle to the west of the city and Donegal.

• From Derry a new single carriageway will by-pass to the west of New Buildings.

• Immediately south of New Buildings there will be a roundabout which will be the start of the new dual carriageway.

• Running southwards from New Buildings, the preferred route will track west of Magheramason, east of Bready, west of Cloghcor and Ballymagorry and by-passes Strabane to the west.

• It will pass between Sion Mills and Glebe, pass west of Victoria Bridge and Newtownstewart and continue west of Mountjoy and Omagh.

• At the southern end, the preferred route will track to the west of Garvaghy and Ballygawley before bypassing Aughnacloy on its east side to meet with the A28 Armagh/Newry route.

• A short section of single carriageway will facilitate connection to the proposed improvements to upgrade the N2 route in County Monaghan.

Detailed maps of the route will go on public display next week and Roads Service staff will be available to answer questions.

Construction of the dual carriageway is expected to commence in 2012 and be completed in 2015.

marmurr1916

It's a bit of a cop out ending the dual-carriageway at New Buildings. It's a pity the NIRS and the Minister couldn't decide on whether to continue the dual-carriageway to link up with the A6 or to cross the Foyle and link up with the A2/N13.

dmeehan

are there any maps available yet?

nordydan

dmeehan wrote: »

are there any maps available yet?

http://www.transport.ie/uploads/documents/news/Omagh%20Map_A3.pdf

dmeehan

nordydan wrote: »

http://www.transport.ie/uploads/documents/news/Omagh%20Map_A3.pdf

thanks for the map link, it was hard to visualise it as I am not familiar with the area

nordydan

dmeehan wrote: »

thanks for the map link, it was hard to visualise it as I am not familiar with the area

As someone living in Kerry, I shoudl let you know the area has a lot of 2008 All-Ireland winners medals about there...

serfboard

marmurr1916 wrote: »

It's a bit of a cop out ending the dual-carriageway at New Buildings.

Agree.

marmurr1916 wrote: »

It's a pity the NIRS and the Minister couldn't decide on whether to continue the dual-carriageway to link up with the A6 or to cross the Foyle and link up with the A2/N13.

You'd imagine that political considerations were a factor there. However, you'd also imagine that crossing the Foyle would add considerably to the cost of the project.

Tech3

nordydan wrote: »

As someone living in Kerry, I shoudl let you know the area has a lot of 2008 All-Ireland winners medals about there...

It may have but it doesnt have the most all Ireland football championship wins in the country. :P