M2 Junction 7 Crosskennan Slip Roads
| Length: | N/A |
| Road Type: | Motorway Junction |
| Contract: | Design Build Finance Operate (DBFO) |
| Contractor: | HMC |
| Status: | Complete, opened to traffic 29 June 2007 |
When Antrim Area Hospital opened in 1994, M2 Junction 7 off-slips were constructed to provide rapid access from the M2 motorway to the hospital. The junction layout did not permit access to the motorway and road users have to travel to the next junction to join the motorway, adding five to ten minutes to their journey.
Construction of new motorway on-slips will allow immediate access on to the M2 northwest towards Randalstown and southeast towards Belfast. The works are part of Roads Service’s first Public Private Partnership (PPP) contract for the improvement and maintenance of Northern Ireland’s key transport corridors. The PPP contract uses the Design, Build Finance and Operate (DBFO) approach where road improvements are designed, constructed and financed by a private sector consortium.
Contractor HMC - a joint venture comprising Graham, Farrans and Bilfinger Berger - was awarded the Public Private Partnership Package 1 on 17 January 2006. PPP Package 1 includes:
- widening of Belfast’s Westlink between Broadway and Grosvenor Road junction and includes grade separation of each junction.
- widening the southbound lane of the M2 motorway between Junction 2 at Greencastle and Junction 4 at Sandyknowes.
- construction of the motorway on-slips at M2 Junction 7 bedside Antrim Area Hospital.
- 30 year operation and maintenance of 60 kilometres of motorway and trunks roads.
The £3 million M2 Junction 7 on-slips opened to traffic on 29 June 2007.
Current Status @ 25 July 2007
DRD Minister Conor Murphy officially opened the on-slips on Wednesday 25 July 2007. The Minister said "The works, which have been ongoing for a year, were of significant local importance: “This project had considerable local support from within the Antrim area and from the Hospital authorities and I am pleased to now see the work completed. The new slip roads will improve access from the hospital for patients and staff, and will greatly improve journey times for ambulances responding to calls from Antrim Hospital. These works are part of a much larger package of improvements to the M1, Westlink and M2 motorway, and are part of the ongoing strategy of improving the Strategic Road Network in Northern Ireland."
