M2 Link: About the Scheme

The Larne Road Roundabout currently joins the Ballee Road East dual carriageway to the M2 Ballymena Bypass and the A36 radial route connecting Ballymena to Larne. This large five-arm roundabout includes two under bridges built to accommodate the now defunct extension of the M2 mototrway towards Antrim. North of the roundabout the Ballymena Bypass is dual 2-lane motorway carrying flows in excess of 25,500 vehicles per day. South west of the roundabout Ballee Road East is a 2-lane all purpose dual carriageway carrying flows in excess of 22,500 vehicles per day. About 15,000 vehicles per day is long distance strategic north-south traffic passing straight through the roundabout. This long distance strategic north-south traffic conflicts with local traffic negotiating the roundabout and results in queues and delays at peak times. The high speed on the large roundabout are a contributory factor in the unacceptably high number of accidents at this junction.

The proposed scheme would lead traffic onto a 2.1 kilometre long dual carriageway allowing the strategic north-south traffic to continue uninterrupted underneath the Larne Road Roundabout. The proposed scheme would:

• Deviate from the existing Ballee Road East dual carriageway east of the Ballee Roundabout.
• Continue underneath the Larne Road Roundabout.
• Connect to the southern end of the M2 Ballymena Bypass.

New merge and diverge slip roads constructed on the south side of the Larne Road Roundabout would provide access to and from the new road. West of the new road, the bypassed part of Ballee Road East wouild retain its connection with the Larne Road Roundabout and would continue to service Pennybridge Industrial Estate. East of the new road, traffic using the Liminary Road from Kells would lead traffic onto a 0.9 kilometre long single carriageway road connecting directly to the Larne Road Roundabout.