The A26 is a vastly important route connecting the entire north coast including Coleraine, Ballymoney and Ballymena to the rest of the province. Back in 1964 there was a plan to build the M2 from Belfast to Coleraine via Ballymena. While the section bypassing Ballymena was built, and the section from Belfast to Antrim also built, the section in between was never built once the motorway schemes were abandoned in 1975. Thus the A26 has been dualled instead.

The Ballee Road East that connects the A26 to the M2 at Ballymena was built in 1969. The dualling of the rest of the A26 took place in 3 stages:

• Phase 1 opened in 1989 and saw 4.6km dualled from the M22 at Dunsilly roundabout (j1) to Tavanaghmore at a cost of £2.3m.

• Phase 2 opened ten years later in 1998 (the road in May, the Line Bridge in October) and saw 3.5km dualled from Tavanaghmore to Woodgreen at a cost of £3.6m.

• Phase 3 opened on 1 June 2001 and saw the last 3.5km from Woodgreen to Ballee Road East dualled at a cost of £3.7m.

(source: Roads Service "Antrim to Ballymena Dual-Carriageway" information published online early 2007).

The route carried 21,000 vehicles per day in 2001 making it a heavily used road. Its completion in 2001 means that there is now a continuous motorway/dual-carriageway road from Belfast to the north side of Ballymena. The road is fast and fairly relaxing to use compared to some of the sections to the north of Ballymena.

A scheme is currently in the planning stages that will see the A26 Ballee Road East diverted directly onto the M2 at Ballymena. See future schemes.

Photos

The A26 Ballee Road East at Ballymena - seen looking west. This road links the A26 to the short section of the M2 at Ballymena. [Photo by Wesley Johnston]

Looking south along the A26 near Ballymuckvea between Ballymena and Antrim. [Photo by Wesley Johnston]