Cribbs Causeway

The junction location in 1961 before construction started

This is the initial junction layout as shown in 1963 before the M5 was extended to the south

Cribbs Causeway Interchange is junction 17 of the M5. It is named after an old road nearby, now part of the A4018. The junction is perhaps best known these days because there is a large shopping mall and retail park just to the east, which can cause horrendous traffic jams at certain times of year. These can be exacerbated on Summer Saturdays by holiday traffic passing through on the M5 itself. Indeed, the jams have proven to be so bad that a new road heading east across the north of Filton was built to try and relieve the area.

The junction itself is a fairly standard roundabout interchange beneath the motorway, with 3 routes connecting to the M5 at the roundabout. The sliproads on the M5 have been rebuilt in recent years to increase capacity, with both onslips and the southbound offslip gaining extra length. Some of these changes were made at the same time that the motorway was widened to provide a fourth, climbing lane up the long incline from the Avonmouth Bridge to the south, although this doesn't reach the junction sliproads, but may be the reason why the northbound offslip wasn't extended, to prevent a conflict.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
M5	The MIDLANDS, Gloucester, S.WALES, London (M4)
M5	The SOUTH WEST, Avonmouth
A4018	Bristol (West), Clifton
B4055	Severn Beach, Plining, Easter Compton	7.5Ton weight limit 500 yards
	Cribbs Causeway, Patchway, Filton