B90 (Northern Ireland)

Ballylumford Road

The B90 is a long, winding road in east County Antrim. The road was unclassified in 1923 but gained its number in the mid-1920s, apparently having its unusual route from the outset.

The road starts at Sandyknowes Roundabout, M2 J4, where it also meets the A6, A8(M) and B95, and heads northeast along Ballyhenry Road through the Newtownabbey suburb of Carnmoney. Presently a T-junction is reached on the B59, from where there's a short multiplex to the left over the Belfast-Derry railway line to a set of traffic lights. Here the B59 turns left and the B90 regains its number by turning right.

The road is now rural as it heads east past a golf course and across the fields before skirting the northern edge of Monkstown. Another brief rural section takes us to Greenisland, where we run along Upper Road. Maps mark a spur of the B90 turning right along the narrow, traffic-calmed Upper Station Road; this detours at the station to go under the Belfast-Larne railway line before returning to its straight route and descending to a roundabout on the A2. If this is a spur it is not signed as such.

We now follow the railway line eastwards before a road to the right gives access to Trooperslane station, then we bear left to diverge. After another rural section we skirt the northern edge of Carrickfergus before returning to the fields again to reach a T-junction on the B149. There's a brief multiplex to the right then the B90 takes the next turn left to regain its number and easterly course. It's not long before we TOTSO left at another T-junction.

The road heads northeast along a straight road interspersed with sharp corners and presently reaches Ballycarry. It runs along Main Street then TOTSOs right into Island Road, which descends out of town to reach the A2; this is crossed at a staggered crossroads. We continue east, signed Islandmagee, and go over the railway to Larne above Ballycarry station, then cross a causeway over the bottom end of Larne Lough. Now on the Islandmagee Peninsula we climb into Ballystrudder to reach a mini-roundabout where we turn left and cannon off the B150.

We continue north along Low Road, with Larne Lough sometimes visible to the left. Presently a crossroads is reached, where the B90 splits; from here it forms a loop to the far end of the peninsula. Most traffic continues ahead here but we shall turn left to descend a couple of hairpin bends and come within a short distance of the loughside. We continue north along Millbay Road, with the road narrowing as it reaches Millbay itself. The road runs through the settlement and briefly along the shore before widening as it climbs away back into open country. A road to the right takes traffic back to the other branch of the B90; this is signed as a spur but mapped as unclassified and is of far better quality than the section through Millbay.

The B90 now passes the back of Ballylumford Power Station. Originally the road headed further west, closer to the coast, but its route was severed by construction of the power station so instead we continue ahead to rejoin our old route at a T-junction. The old road to the left runs to the harbour and the front of the power station but the B90 TOTSOs right. It runs along the north coast of the peninsula and gets very close to the sea at Browns Bay. At the far end of the bay it turns inland to head back south.

Presently the B150 turns off to the left, then we bear right to reach a crossroads. The road to the right is the route to the western side of the B90 mentioned two paragraphs above, whilst our road TOTSOs left. It contours south, with Larne Lough visible to the right some distance below. The road descends and it's not long before it reaches a crossroads, where the loop started. The road ahead continues back south to Ballystrudder.