Birchwood Interchange

Birchwood Interchange is junction 11 of the M62. Despite the M62 through this junction opening in 1974, the junction itself did not open until stage 1 of Birchwood Way was completed in January 1977.

It links Birchwood Way - (a spur of) the A574 - to the M62 motorway. This serves to link up Birchwood, and some of the rest of the East of Warrington, to the motorway network. The southern approach has only recently been dualled to improve capacity.

The size of the Northern part of the junction seems suggestive of a planned extension to Birchwood Way, perhaps even a rerouting of the A574 to bypass the nearby village of Culcheth, and potentially Glazebury, such that this would no longer be a spur of the route. However currently, this part of the junction only serves as a rudimentary rest stop, and access for walking and cycling the pathways of the Silver Lane Lakes and old quarry, whose hill is known locally for its views of the surrounding landscape. There is technically another exit, which is rather small, serving Silver Lane - a mostly gravel road which is essentially just a hiking trail.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
M62	Warrington, Liverpool, B'ham, Chester, Preston (M6)
M62	Manchester, Leeds, Bolton (M61)
A574	Warrington East, Birchwood, Risley (A57)
M52	Warrington, Liverpool, B'ham, Chester, Preston (M6)	proposed number for M62
M52	Manchester, Leeds (M62), Bolton (M61)	proposed number for M62