AECOM delivered multidisciplinary services for a major road improvement scheme in Northern Ireland. The scheme will help grow the local economy and contribute to wider economic development. The A8 to Larne improvement scheme was commissioned by the Northern Ireland Department for Regional Development (DRD) TransportNI to relieve congestion and maintain an efficient road link to the Port of Larne.

The project, which is currently under construction, will upgrade 14.4km of the existing A8 to dual carriageway. It also includes a major new roundabout and a number of compact grade-separated junctions and bridges.

The A8 road links Belfast with the Port of Larne, the second largest port in Northern Ireland. Part of the EU’s Trans-European Transportation Network programme, the A8 is a strategically significant European route, providing an important east-west link between Northern Ireland and Scotland via the Port of Larne.