A52 (Northern Ireland)
A52 | |||||||||||||
Location Map ( geo) | |||||||||||||
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From: | Belfast (J332751) | ||||||||||||
To: | Crumlin (J152761) | ||||||||||||
Distance: | 13.7 miles (22 km) | ||||||||||||
Meets: | A6, B502, B39, A55, B95, B39, B154, B101, A26, B12 | ||||||||||||
Former Number(s): | B13, B39, B500 | ||||||||||||
Primary Destinations | |||||||||||||
Highway Authorities | |||||||||||||
Traditional Counties | |||||||||||||
Route outline (key) | |||||||||||||
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Route
The A52 forms a route heading west from Belfast through the mountains. It forms a second signed route between the city and both the International Airport and Glengormley.
Belfast - Crumlin
Beginning on the A6 at Carlisle Circus, just west of the Westlink in Belfast, the A52 heads west along Crumlin Road. At Ardoyne Roundabout the A55 and the B39 merge, with the A55 Outer Ring being dominant until Ballysillan.
The A52 begins to climb up the mountains and leave Belfast's urban area. Just after a tight hairpin bend, called the Horseshoe Bend, the B95 to Glengormley leaves. There is a more direct and straighter road through Ligonel, but it is steeper. The A52 nearly reaches 300 m above sea level before gradually descending. The B39 leaves the merger and heads to Antrim along the descriptive Seven Mile Straight, The A52 then joins the line of the straighter route for the last couple of miles on its journey to Nutts Corner, where it meets the A26 Crumlin bypass. From the roundabout the A52 goes into Crumlin, goes under the railway line and ends in the town centre at a mini-roundabout on Main Street. The old A26, now B12, continues to the right.
History
On Classification, the route was part of the B500 within Belfast, then the B39 to Clady Corner and finally the B13 to Crumlin. It was upgraded to Class I in the late 1920s.
The road originally ended to the north of Crumlin town centre on the A26 (now C24) Crumlin Road. When that road was rerouted to the east to avoid the airport the A52 was extended a short distance to reach Main Street.