Status
|
Construction scheme
(completed) |
Where
|
To
replace a busy T-junction on the A4 with a
roundabout, including 0.5 miles of
westbound overtaking lane. |
Total
Length
|
Approx 0.8 km / 0.5
miles
|
Dates
|
Scheme proposed ca 2001
Opened to traffic Sep 2004
Roundabout removed summer 2010
|
Cost
|
Approx £1.0m
|
Photos
|
See below |
Contractor
|
McFadden Building and Civil
Engineering (Omagh) |
See
Also
|
Map
of area (note roundabout does not exist
any longer)
|
The junction of the main A4 with the B45 Eglish
Road, near Dungannon, was highlighted around 2001
has being "close to capacity" and having a "higher
than average" accident rate. It was therefore
decided to upgrade the capacity and safety of the
junction by adding a roundabout. The opportunity
was also taken to add a 0.5 mile overtaking lane
westbound, ie away from the roundabout in the
direction of Ballygawley. This work was carried
out during 2004 and the junction was completed in
September.
The junction gained notoriety in June 2007 as the
scene of an infamous
robbery in which a GAA official was beaten
and tens of thousands of pounds were taken from
his car.
These screenshots from Google StreetView show how
the junction looked:
f
Google StreetView of Eglish Road roundabout in
March 2009, looking west.
Google StreetView of the westbound overtaking lane
seen from the Eglish Road roundabout in August
2008.
Removal of the Roundabout
This junction turned
out to be one of the shortest-lived road
improvements of recent years. Just six years after
completion, the roundabout was removed as part of
the major scheme to convert the A4 to
dual-carriageway from Dungannon to Ballygawley.
Although this scheme had been in planning for some
years, the decision to finally proceed was not
taken until construction of Eglish Road roundabout
was actually underway. The dualling scheme
involved replacing the roundabout with a compact
grade separated junction with a flyover. So
comprehensively did this work obliterate all
traces of Eglish Road roundabout that this web
page may be its only legacy in years to come.
These photographs below were taken from the
flyover and show the final days of the roundabout
in the summer of 2010:
View westbound from the new Eglish Road flyover
showing the dual-carriageway taking shape but with
the Eglish Road roundabout still in place. 11 July
2010. [John Troy]
The same view on 24 Oct 2010, and the Eglish Road
roundabout has disappeared. Note that the curve in
the embankment on the right, created for the
roundabout, has actually been filled in
again. [John Troy]
|