Motorway Database
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Factfile - Images - Timeline - Exit List
As with just about any other Northern Ireland motorway, the M5 was destined for something bigger. It takes four of the M2's ten lanes on the way out of Belfast and then, as if it's not sure what to do without the other six, gives up a mile or so later and stops on a roundabout with the A2.
This road was meant to go all the way to Carrickfergus - but, of course, never did. When the Westminster took direct control of Northern Ireland in the early 1970s, all the plans that hadn't yet been started were instantly frozen, and have remained so ever since. This was lucky in that it slipped through the net, opening in 1980, but it's little more than a hint at what was once planned.
Factfile
| Start | Rathcoole (A2) |
| Finish | Whitewell (M2) |
| Passes | None |
| Length | 1 mile |
| Terminates | None |
| Spurs | None |
| Meets | None |
Images
Views of the M5 from on and off the road. If you have a photo to contribute, contact me.
Taken from Cave Hill, pretty much the whole M5 is visible here. The M2 is to the bottom right of the image; the M5 splits off it to the right and crosses towards the left on an artificial causeway.
Photo by Wesley Johnston
The M5 causeway seen from the shore at Whitehouse.
Photo by Wesley Johnston
The M5 was to have continued to Carrickfergus, but instead stops here at Hazelbank roundabout after just one mile.
Photo by Wesley Johnston
Construction Timeline
When the various parts of the M5 were built, listed in chronological order.
| Open | Section |
|---|---|
| 1980 | Entire motorway |
Exit List
All the junctions and destinations along the route.
| Junction | Southbound | Northbound | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rathcoole A2 |
A2 |
NORTH |
A2 |
N/A    |
|||||
| Carrickfergus Whiteabbey A2    |
||||||||||
2 miles, 2 lanes  |
 2 miles, 2 lanes |
|||||||||
| (M2 J2) | N/A |
M2 |
 M2 SOUTH |
Belfast Docks M2   |
With thanks to Wesley Johnston for information in this section.
