A6 Dungiven to Drumahoe Scheme

A6 Burntollet Bridge

The A6 is a strategically important route as it connects the North West to Belfast and beyond.

The Department for Infrastructure has already delivered a £189 million scheme to upgrade 14.7 kilometres of the A6 North Western Transport Corridor between Randalstown and Castledawson and after approximately three and a half years since work began on a second scheme to upgrade 25.5 kilometres of the road between Dungiven and Drumahoe, it too will be completed this year.

The A6 Dungiven to Drumahoe dualling scheme represents an investment in the region of £220 million, including land acquisition. The project will provide 25.5 kilometres of high standard dual carriageway between Drumahoe and Dungiven, which includes a bypass of Dungiven with new roundabouts connecting the scheme to the existing road network at either end. In addition, the project will provide two park and ride facilities which will offer and encourage sustainable, cleaner and greener transport options for the local community. The first of these sites, located at Drumahoe became operational last summer, whilst the second site, at Claudy, is currently nearing completion.

The scheme is well advanced with the earthworks, drainage and all twenty-two structures along the scheme now substantially complete, and the pavement construction is currently progressing well with more than 25% of the surface course already laid along the main carriageway.

Cut and fill operations are substantially complete with excavation works ongoing at Tamnaherin (Zone A) along with pond excavation works at Foreglen (Zone E). Mainline drainage outfall works at ponds is ongoing at Burntollet (Zone B) and Killunaght Rd (Zone E).

Further works to access tracks are continuing at Gortilea (Zone D) along with concreting of lanes and drainage works ongoing. Side roads are ongoing at various locations at Dungiven (Zone F) Tamnaherin junction, Ardmore and Fawney Rd (Zone A) Claudy junction (Zone D) and accommodation works are ongoing at Baranailt (Zone C) Dungiven (Zone F) and Tamnaherin Rd (Zone A).

Pavement operations are ongoing along with surfacing works between Claudy (Zone D) and Feeny Rd (Zone E). Fencing is ongoing between Gulf and Claudy (Zone C) west of Feeny Rd (Zone E) and Tamnaherin (Zone A) will follow in the coming weeks.

NIW diversions and new installations are underway at Claudy Junction (Zone D) Ardmore Rd (Zone A) and Killunaght Rd (Zone E) along with BT ducting at Foreglen Rd (Zone E) and Claudy (Zone D). Landscaping is ongoing throughout the site, mostly tree and hedgerow planting and line markings to the new dual carriageway have started throughout the scheme.

The existing road carries around 15,000 vehicles per day and with traffic levels continuing to grow, this very significant investment from the Department for Infrastructure will greatly improve road safety and journey times by reducing congestion.

The project which is being delivered by a Joint Venture of Sacyr, Wills Bros Ltd and Somague has helped to secure jobs in the construction industry, contribute to the economic development of the region and bring long term benefits to road users and local communities.

Roughan and O’Donovan (ROD) are the design consultant and are recognised as one of the leading Civil Engineering Consultancies in Ireland and has the largest bridge design team in the UK or Ireland. ROD are also considered the leading transport consultancy in the Irish market, having worked on some of Ireland’s largest, most innovative transport infrastructure projects.

AECOM are the client representative and are a global network of experts developing and implementing innovative solutions connecting people and economies with roads, bridges, tunnels and transit systems.

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