M1-A1 flyover link, Sprucefield and Hillsborough roundabout grade separation

mysterious

The new A1/M1 link... Third time trying to post this friggen thing:mad:

It's interesting that Nothern Ireland will get a new motorway and will be called A1(M). This has happened in the Uk already with the M1 beoming a new line adjacent to the A1 and spuring to Birmingham on a different alignment. the Old A1 was then upgraded ditto, and some sections were in need of further upgrades and some sections of A1 became A1(M)..

Here is the link.http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/roads/m1a1link.html

mysterious

whoops, thread title...:o

nordydan

Will this not simply be called the M1 nortbound as it leads directly to only the M1??

There is also a case for upgrading Ballymasclanlon to Beech Hill to motorway by the same analogy.

mysterious

nordydan wrote:

Will this not simply be called the M1 nortbound as it leads directly to only the M1??

There is also a case for upgrading Ballymasclanlon to Beech Hill to motorway by the same analogy.

This is why they are calling it A1(M) as it leads directly to Motorway, I'm not to worried what they call it as it will be undoubtely motorway standard with free flowing links. M1 is already there which leads to Dungannon, it only will confuse drivers when driving pass this junction when a gantry might have two indications for M1 one straight ahead and the other swing to left onto Dublin, this would just be causing unessessary confusion having the same road leading too different locations..
Though It would be awesome, if they reclassify the M1 past Lisburn to M4 and have the M1 continuing mainline towards the A1 and Dublin, hence this side of the border the road is known as M1 also. So It would make sense having the Belfast Dublin road called just one road. The M1(A1- N1)

nordydan

They should rename the Lisburn to Dungannon section to the M16.
The amount of tourists who travel up from Dublin to Belfast on the M1,N1,A1,M1 then head back along the M1 fully expecting it to head in the Dublin direction. Nonsense.

Where the upgrades made then only 20 miles of the route between belfast and Dublin would be non motorway, with the rest being 'expressway' or DC with mostly had shoulder and LILO junctions.

mysterious

nordydan wrote:

They should rename the Lisburn to Dungannon section to the M16.
The amount of tourists who travel up from Dublin to Belfast on the M1,N1,A1,M1 then head back along the M1 fully expecting it to head in the Dublin direction. Nonsense.

Where the upgrades made then only 20 miles of the route between belfast and Dublin would be non motorway, with the rest being 'expressway' or DC with mostly had shoulder and LILO junctions.

M16 seems fine from our point of view, but as far as the North is concerned it would be deemed stupid, to name it literally for the sake of the N16 near Sligo, the reality is there is a very small amount of traffic coming from the N16 and Sligo heading to Belfast anyway, not to mention that the N roads don't follow our radial system in terms of numbering.

But whatever happens, after the upgrade the A1 spur, will be motorway. IMO I think they should change the M1 wesr of Lisburn to M4 or M3... Maybe M16 (only if it were a united ireland) "runs off before stools get fired":o

jd

Any chance you could edit your original post, "S" isn't a very descriptive subject (you may need to go advanced)

mysterious

jd wrote:

Any chance you could edit your original post, "S" isn't a very descriptive subject (you may need to go advanced)

It's upsetting you I know, But I can't change it... Unless the Mods can,

I hope your not running around the room having a fit about it?:D

It will be a long time before we see an expressway A1 from Newry to Belfast though. The Motorway spur will be A1(m) just like A8(m) spur to Larne, don't know why they didn't just call it M8.

corktina

small correction there...The M1 was not a relief for the A1.Completely different roads.
...The A1(m) was the Motorway replacement for the A1...The A1 being the Great North Road whereas the M1 was London to Birmingham, and replaced the A5 . The M5 was nothing to do with the A5 similarly.

nordydan

Yes the brits keep their A roads and M roads numbering sytems separate. The Irish model (well most of it) is far superior. Maybe because its a lot easier being a smaller country, but it ties in a lot better.

As said previously, the A8(M) is so called because it incorporated the old A8. However both teh schemes from the current M1 (NI) to Hillsborough and the Carrickcarnon to Beech Hill schemes do not take in the existing route. Therefor they do not need the brackets system.

Re: the expressway from north of newry to belfast
I reckon it'll be 5 years before the road from newry to hillsborough is finished. There are plans to GSJ 9 junctions, including the one underway at banbridge. When this happens they could start forcing the minor roads near the junctions to go in the direction of the road they join, ie forbidding access to them across the CR or leeting vehicles leaving them to cross the CR. This would speed up the road significantly and perhaps totally eliminate the crossings altogether quicker than previously thought.

Victor

nordydan wrote:

As said previously, the A8(M) is so called because it incorporated the old A8.

AFAIK the A8(M) was a brand new alignment, originally meant to be part of the M2.

Winters

2015 is a good while away isnt it? Is it me or are we just used to shorter timeframes nowadays in the ROI?

nordydan

Winters wrote:

2015 is a good while away isnt it? Is it me or are we just used to shorter timeframes nowadays in the ROI?

In the free state there is a NDP, ie p for plan. It may not always be quick enough but at least it exists and the government can budget for it. In the 6 counties they are dependent on handouts from that most generous of all people, the English taxpayer, and as previously said the level of public spending is so high that the schemes have to be spread out a lot more.

Victor,

I think yuo are right on this one but I don't know what happened the original A8.