NI: A1 Junctions Phase 2 - Hillsborough to Loughbrickland
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NI: A1 Junctions Phase 2 - Hillsborough to Loughbrickland
A1 road improvement scheme approved by Nichola Mallon subject to funding - The scheme is expected to cost in the region of £65-75m.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-55827688
It would see 111 gaps in the central reservation closed, four new flyovers developed and the prevention of right turns from more than 20 side roads.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-55827688
It would see 111 gaps in the central reservation closed, four new flyovers developed and the prevention of right turns from more than 20 side roads.
Last edited by c2R on Fri Jan 29, 2021 09:31, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: NI: A1 Hillsborough
I assume that should read 11? not 111? Neither number is in the news articlec2R wrote: ↑Thu Jan 28, 2021 22:05 A1 road improvement scheme approved by Nichola Mallon subject to funding - The scheme is expected to cost in the region of £65-75m.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-55827688
It would see 111 gaps in the central reservation closed, four new flyovers developed and the prevention of right turns from more than 20 side roads.
Re: NI: A1 Hillsborough
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-51831161Herned wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 00:21I assume that should read 11? not 111? Neither number is in the news articlec2R wrote: ↑Thu Jan 28, 2021 22:05 A1 road improvement scheme approved by Nichola Mallon subject to funding - The scheme is expected to cost in the region of £65-75m.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-55827688
It would see 111 gaps in the central reservation closed, four new flyovers developed and the prevention of right turns from more than 20 side roads.
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Re: NI: A1 Junctions Phase 2 - Hillsborough to Loughbrickland
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- roadtester
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Re: NI: A1 Hillsborough
When I first saw the figure 111 I thought it must be a typo as well but after reviewing this section of the A1 via Google maps/satellite, I suspect the number really is nearer to 111 than 11!c2R wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 00:26https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-51831161Herned wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 00:21I assume that should read 11? not 111? Neither number is in the news articlec2R wrote: ↑Thu Jan 28, 2021 22:05 A1 road improvement scheme approved by Nichola Mallon subject to funding - The scheme is expected to cost in the region of £65-75m.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-55827688
It would see 111 gaps in the central reservation closed, four new flyovers developed and the prevention of right turns from more than 20 side roads.
This is long overdue.
That said, I notice there is still a certain amount of at-gradery and sub-standardry south of Loughbrickland as well.
Any reason why they're not doing the whole lot (assuming I've understood what's going on correctly)?
Or is/was that Phase 1?
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Re: NI: A1 Hillsborough
Yes, there are numerous field and property accesses so I think 111 is completely realistic!roadtester wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 10:22When I first saw the figure 111 I thought it must be a typo as well but after reviewing this section of the A1 via Google maps/satellite, I suspect the number really is nearer to 111 than 11!
This is long overdue.
That said, I notice there is still a certain amount of at-gradery and sub-standardry south of Loughbrickland as well.
Any reason why they're not doing the whole lot (assuming I've understood what's going on correctly)?
Or is/was that Phase 1?
I think south of Loughbrickland will be a later phase - traffic levels by that point have dropped right off, and Loughbrickland itself had a GSJ as an earlier phase. I did the other year almost get wiped out by someone at Beech Hill who crossed turned right in front of me at 4am which was slightly terrifying
Last edited by c2R on Fri Jan 29, 2021 11:19, edited 1 time in total.
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- roadtester
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Re: NI: A1 Junctions Phase 2 - Hillsborough to Loughbrickland
I've only ever driven that stretch a few times and every time I thought "how can so much clearly have been spent on dualling and improving the road while leaving so many sub-standard elements"?
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Re: NI: A1 Junctions Phase 2 - Hillsborough to Loughbrickland
Looks like a fantastic scheme. There will be four new compact GSJs and 22 LILOs, as well as a new northbound onslip at the A50 bridge (so with an adjoining LILO it will be three-quarter access). Plans here:
https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/si ... e-plan.pdf
https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/si ... e-plan.pdf
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Re: NI: A1 Junctions Phase 2 - Hillsborough to Loughbrickland
At the time, that was the proper standard for a rural dual carriageway, and the Whiteadders were in charge of the purse strings.roadtester wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 11:08 I've only ever driven that stretch a few times and every time I thought "how can so much clearly have been spent on dualling and improving the road while leaving so many sub-standard elements"?
- roadtester
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Re: NI: A1 Junctions Phase 2 - Hillsborough to Loughbrickland
My thought about it as a non-local was that it was stuck in an awkward category where it was probably too good to be able to justify just throwing it away and starting again, but at the same time, it might be too hard to upgrade to a proper standard because of space constraints in some places and the sheer number of accesses and at-grade features.AndyB wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 12:57At the time, that was the proper standard for a rural dual carriageway, and the Whiteadders were in charge of the purse strings.roadtester wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 11:08 I've only ever driven that stretch a few times and every time I thought "how can so much clearly have been spent on dualling and improving the road while leaving so many sub-standard elements"?
Somehow, though, they seem to have managed to find a way through all that, so to the limited extent that I'm qualified to judge, I'd agree with wrinkly that it looks like a really good scheme.
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- JammyDodge
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Re: NI: A1 Hillsborough
I was just looking on satellite view on Google Maps, and oh boy, are there a lot of gaps in that central reservation between the ROI and the M1c2R wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 10:57Yes, there are numerous field and property accesses so I think 111 is completely realistic!roadtester wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 10:22When I first saw the figure 111 I thought it must be a typo as well but after reviewing this section of the A1 via Google maps/satellite, I suspect the number really is nearer to 111 than 11!
This is long overdue.
That said, I notice there is still a certain amount of at-gradery and sub-standardry south of Loughbrickland as well.
Any reason why they're not doing the whole lot (assuming I've understood what's going on correctly)?
Or is/was that Phase 1?
I think south of Loughbrickland will be a later phase - traffic levels by that point have dropped right off, and Loughbrickland itself had a GSJ as an earlier phase. I did the other year almost get wiped out by someone at Beech Hill who crossed turned right in front of me at 4am which was slightly terrifying
Designing Tomorrow, Around the Past
Re: NI: A1 Junctions Phase 2 - Hillsborough to Loughbrickland
Or even jackal!roadtester wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 13:28
My thought about it as a non-local was that it was stuck in an awkward category where it was probably too good to be able to justify just throwing it away and starting again, but at the same time, it might be too hard to upgrade to a proper standard because of space constraints in some places and the sheer number of accesses and at-grade features.
Somehow, though, they seem to have managed to find a way through all that, so to the limited extent that I'm qualified to judge, I'd agree with wrinkly that it looks like a really good scheme.
I'm also a fan of the new bus stops with mini parking areas at junctions and the removal of the bus stops every half mile down the main carriageway.
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- roadtester
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Re: NI: A1 Junctions Phase 2 - Hillsborough to Loughbrickland
Oops - you are right!
Apologies to both for the case of mistaken identity.
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Re: NI: A1 Junctions Phase 2 - Hillsborough to Loughbrickland
So the three roundabouts between the northern end of the scheme and the M1 will remain? This would be the only break in the freeflow between Belfast and Cork.
How would you like your grade separations, Sir?
Big and complex.
Big and complex.
Re: NI: A1 Junctions Phase 2 - Hillsborough to Loughbrickland
That's a separate scheme.
Edit - Arguably this is a far more important scheme in terms of road safety and reliability - while congestion around Sprucefield and Hillsborough is known, collisions tend to be low speed and low impact. In normal times there were regularly high speed collisions caused by the property accesses and at-grade junctions up and down the rest of this section which often closed the road for hours at a time.
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- A42_Sparks
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Re: NI: A1 Junctions Phase 2 - Hillsborough to Loughbrickland
Long overdue, they also need to look at doing the same to the A26 Antrim-Ballymena and the A26 section north of Ballymena to Glarryford. I think if that happened then NI's entire motorway and HQDC network would be linked up apart from the Derry sections.
Re: NI: A1 Junctions Phase 2 - Hillsborough to Loughbrickland
It's just unfortunate there is still no motorway connection between the two largest cities on the island, this would to me have been a perfect way to demonstrate co-operation and committment to the GFA by making sure Belfast and Dublin were properly connected - given a lot of the A1 dualling is less than 40 years old as well this is quite embarrassing.
The Newry Bypass is basically a motorway. It's of higher quality than some of GB's D2M roads.
The Newry Bypass is basically a motorway. It's of higher quality than some of GB's D2M roads.
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Terminally cynical, unimpressed, and nearly Middle Age already.
She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.
Blog - https://showmeasign.online/
X - https://twitter.com/ShowMeASignBryn
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@BrynBuck
Re: NI: A1 Junctions Phase 2 - Hillsborough to Loughbrickland
The Banbridge bypass is poor though, with a 60 limit and some turning gaps. I must have driven it for the first time back in 2013, and I was surprised at how poor it was compared with the rest of the route.Bryn666 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 30, 2021 14:04 It's just unfortunate there is still no motorway connection between the two largest cities on the island, this would to me have been a perfect way to demonstrate co-operation and committment to the GFA by making sure Belfast and Dublin were properly connected - given a lot of the A1 dualling is less than 40 years old as well this is quite embarrassing.
The Newry Bypass is basically a motorway. It's of higher quality than some of GB's D2M roads.
And then there's the Sprucefield mess...
Re: NI: A1 Junctions Phase 2 - Hillsborough to Loughbrickland
Some of those gaps have recently had stopping up orders. The rest will be close as part of this new scheme. I presume the speed limits will all return to NSL once this project is completed.
Hopefully there will be progress on that scheme too...And then there's the Sprucefield mess...
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