The A3 is a major road in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

. It travels through County Antrim

County Antrim

County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...

, County Down

County Down

-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...

, County Armagh

County Armagh

-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...

 and parts of southern County Fermanagh

County Fermanagh

Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....

.

The route branches off the A1

A1 road (Northern Ireland)

The A1 is a major route in Northern Ireland. It runs from Belfast via Lisburn and Banbridge to the border with the Republic of Ireland south of Newry, from where the road continues to Dublin, becoming the N1 road and M1 motorway...

, and from the start of the route at Lisburn

Lisburn

DemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...

 to the border near Middletown, County Armagh

Middletown, County Armagh

Middletown is a small village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies two miles from Tynan and close to the border with County Monaghan. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 240 people...

, it is a primary route. The A3 is also the designated road number for the sections of the Irish

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

 N54 secondary route which lie in Northern Ireland. These sections carry secondary route status.

Route

The A3 begins by proceeding ahead at a crossroads in Lisburn city centre, where the A1 veers to the left. It continues through the eastern suburbs of Lisburn before it comes to Junction 9 of the M1

M1 motorway (Northern Ireland)

The M1 is a motorway in Northern Ireland. It is the longest motorway in Northern Ireland and runs for from Belfast to Dungannon through County Down and County Armagh...

, where it intersects with the A26 travelling southwards from Antrim

Antrim, County Antrim

Antrim is a town in County Antrim in the northeast of Northern Ireland, on the banks of the Six Mile Water, half a mile north-east of Lough Neagh. It had a population of 20,001 people in the 2001 Census. The town is the administrative centre of Antrim Borough Council...

. The A3 carries the course of the A26 through the villages of Moira

Moira, County Down

Moira is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is in the northwest of the county, near the borders with counties Antrim and Armagh. The M1 motorway and Dublin–Belfast railway line are nearby. The settlement has existed since time immemorial...

 and Magheralin

Magheralin

Magheralin is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is on the main Moira to Lurgan road, beside the River Lagan. It had a population of 1,144 people in the 2001 Census. It is within the Craigavon Borough Council area....

, before the A26 branches off again upon entering Lurgan

Lurgan

Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town is near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and in the north-eastern corner of the county. Part of the Craigavon Borough Council area, Lurgan is about 18 miles south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway...

.

The A3 continues through the town centre of Lurgan, and becomes dual carriageway

Dual carriageway

A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...

 from the outskirts of Lurgan through a series of roundabouts in what was planned as the new city of Craigavon

Craigavon

Craigavon is a settlement in north County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It was a planned settlement that was begun in 1965 and named after Northern Ireland's first Prime Minister — James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon. It was intended to be a linear city incorporating Lurgan and Portadown, but this plan...

. At "Central Roundabout", the A3 veers north-easterly onto "Northway", a single-carriageway by-pass of Portadown

Portadown

Portadown is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about 23 miles south-west of Belfast...

. "Northway" was originally planned to be an extension of the M12

M12 motorway (Northern Ireland)

The M12 is a 1½ miles length of spur motorway in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It was opened on 1970.It leads off the main M1 motorway, to Portadown, part of the conurbation of Portadown-Craigavon-Lurgan, and forms most of the route between junction 11 of the M1 and the A3 Northway at...

 into the centre of Craigavon, but like many parts of the planned town, it was not built. Close to Portadown town centre, the A4 road

A4 road (Northern Ireland)

The A4 is a major road in Northern Ireland. It travels through County Armagh, County Tyrone and County Fermanagh and continues to Sligo in the Republic of Ireland as the N16....

 branches off and the A3 continues to the city of Armagh

Armagh

Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...

, bypassing the village of Richhill

Richhill

Richhill is the name of a number of places:* Richhill, County Armagh, Northern Ireland* Richhill Township, Pennsylvania, United States* Rich Hill...

.

On entering Armagh, the road meets a series of other main roads leading to the city along a half-ring road; firstly the A51 from Gilford

Gilford

Gilford is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. The village sits on the River Bann between the towns of Banbridge, Tandragee and Portadown. It covers the townlands of Loughans, Ballymacanallen and Drumaran. It had a population of 1,573 people in the 2001 Census...

, then the A28 from Newry

Newry

Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...

 and the A29 from Dundalk

Dundalk

Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...

. It then continues its route through the villages of Milford and Middletown before reaching the border with the Republic of Ireland in the townload of Ardgonnell. The road continues as the N12 to Monaghan

Monaghan

Monaghan is the county town of County Monaghan in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 7,811 . The town is located on the main road, the N2 road, from Dublin north to both Derry and Letterkenny.-Toponym:...

.

However, the A3 still continues along a linear route along the N54 road between Monaghan and Cavan

Cavan

Cavan is the county town of County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. The town lies in the north central part of Ireland, near the border with Northern Ireland...

. On the outskirts of Clones

Clones

Clones is a small town in western County Monaghan, in the 'border area' of the Republic of Ireland. The area is part of the Border Region, earmarked for economic development by the Irish Government due to its currently below-average economic situation...

, the road crosses the border into Northern Ireland, where the A3 route number is resumed for two miles. The route returns to N54 as the frontier between the North and South is crossed again, and the A3 returns for another short stretch where it meets the B533 from Newtownbutler

Newtownbutler

Newtownbutler or Newtown Butler is a small village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is in the southeast corner of the County, close to the border with County Monaghan and the town of Clones. It is surrounded by small lakes and bogland and close to Lough Erne...

 at a Y-junction at Wattlebridge before reverting again to the N54 until it meets the N3 just outside Cavan. Unlike the primary route from Lisburn to the border near Monaghan, these brief sections of the A3 have secondary status.

Planned developments

At present, the Department for Regional Development plan a series of future road schemes for the A3:

• A link road through the northern and western areas of Armagh city; currently in preparation and construction timetabled to be completed by 2011, with a further link in the southwestern part of the city, construction timetable for after 2015
• The dualling of a 5.5 km stretch of the A3 between Portadown and Richhill; construction timetabled for between 2011 and 2016
• Improvements to the junctions on the Northway at Portadown; construction timetabled for after 2015