M22 motorway (Northern Ireland)

UK motorway routebox
motorway= M22
length-mi= 5.6
length-km= 9
direction= east - west
start= M2 - Niblock
destinations= Randalstown
end= A6 - Randalstown
opening-date= 1971
completion-date=1973
junctions=
euroroute= European route number small sign|16

The M22 is a motorway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is 5.6 miles (9 km) long and connects the M2 with the A6. It forms part of the unsigned European route E16.

History

In 1964 the Northern Ireland Government announced plans for an extensive network of motorways [http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/roads/historymotorwayplans.html Northern Ireland Roads Site - History of Motorway Plans] ] . Part of this was an M22 motorway from the M2 near Antrim to Castledawson. With the increase in civil disorder, known as The Troubles and the introduction of direct rule, the motorway programme was nearly all cancelled and the M22 left as it currently stood in 1975 [ [http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/roads/m22.html Northern Ireland Roads Site - M22] ] .

It was opened in two sections [http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m22-ni/ CBRD Motorway Database - M22 (Northern Ireland)] ] :
*Junctions 1 to 2 opened in 1971
*Junctions 2 to 3 opened in 1973As of 2006 there is a plan to dual the A6 from the M22 to Castledawson [ [http://www.roadsni.gov.uk/scheme/a6Randalstown_Castledawson/index.htm Road Service of Northern Ireland - A6 Randalstown to Castledawson Scheme Page] ] .

Route

The motorway starts at the split in the carriageways on the M2 around 1/2 mile east of junction 1, where the M2 was to head north towards Ballymena. After meeting junction 1, the site of Junction One an international retail outlet, it continues west across Fergusons Water, the Belfast-Derry railway line and Mill Burn as it bypasses the suburbs of Antrim to the north. Between junctions 2 and 3 it passes between Randalstown and the Randalstown forest crosses the River Maine and then ends at junction 3. The M22 is a 2 lane dual carriageway throughout its length.

Junctions

ee also

*Roads in Ireland
*List of motorways in the United Kingdom

References

External links

* [http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m22-ni/ CBRD Motorway Database - M22 (Northern Ireland)]
* [http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/roads/m22.html Northern Ireland Roads Site - M22]
* [http://www.iht.org/motorway/m2ni.htm The Motorway Archive - M22 (Northern Ireland)]