Roads that don’t look their age

[RJDG14]

The majority of the A55 was dualled in the 1980s and 1990s and while most of the route feels like it was built in this era there is an at-grade section between Llanfairfechan and Bangor following the original alignment which feels more like it was dualled in the 1960s or 1970s, even though I'd imagine it was dualled at a similar time to the rest of the road.

Update: Seems according to Wikipedia that this stretch was in fact opened during the 1960s, which explains why it's at-grade and lacks hard strips unlike the stretches built in the 1980s and 1990s.

[Peter350]

The majority of the A55 was dualled in the 1980s and 1990s and while most of the route feels like it was built in this era there is an at-grade section between Llanfairfechan and Bangor following the original alignment which feels more like it was dualled in the 1960s or 1970s, even though I'd imagine it was dualled at a similar time to the rest of the road.

Update: Seems according to Wikipedia that this stretch was in fact opened during the 1960s, which explains why it's at-grade and lacks hard strips unlike the stretches built in the 1980s and 1990s.

The 1969 OS Route Planning map shows only the Abergele Bypass and a short online stretch east of St Asaph as being dualled by then.

[Robert Kilcoyne]

The majority of the A55 was dualled in the 1980s and 1990s and while most of the route feels like it was built in this era there is an at-grade section between Llanfairfechan and Bangor following the original alignment which feels more like it was dualled in the 1960s or 1970s, even though I'd imagine it was dualled at a similar time to the rest of the road.

Update: Seems according to Wikipedia that this stretch was in fact opened during the 1960s, which explains why it's at-grade and lacks hard strips unlike the stretches built in the 1980s and 1990s.

The section between Tai'r Meibion to Abergwyngregyn (J12-13) was dualled in the late 1960's; a new westbound carriageway was added.

[Arcuarius]

Adjoining sections of A303 in Somerset spring to mind. The Ilchester and Wincanton bypasses were built in the 1970s but to a high standard, while neighbouring sections such as the Zeals bypass, the Ilchester-Ilminster online section and the Wincanton-Sparkford Bypass section are 1990s builds and seem in many ways of a lower standard, apart from perhaps the big overblown GSJ near South Petherton.

A giveaway here is that the cable central reservation barrier on the South Petherton - Ilchester online section continues along the 70s Ilchester bypass, giving the impression that the latter was built at the same time as the former. As far as i'm aware, cable barriers weren't used until the 90s, but I could be proven wrong. Was there previously an Armco along the Ilchester bypass?

I seem to remember that cable was installed along there because of the risk of snowdrifts in winter. Could very well be mis-remembering though.

[lefthandedspanner]

To give a contrary example, the Glasgow extension of the M74 doesn't look like a 2011 road

Not because of the quality of the road, but rather that it's the type of urban motorway which basically hasn't been built since the 60s and 70s!

It's a well designed motorway, except for the speed limits! It would be interesting if similar was built in say, inner Manchester, to extend the M606 south to the M67!

Is there that much demand for a trans-pennine Tameside-Bradford motorway?

Joking aside, this is pretty much what the Mancunian Way was originally meant to do, except both the M602 and M67 fell some way short at both ends.

[Richardf]

Adjoining sections of A303 in Somerset spring to mind. The Ilchester and Wincanton bypasses were built in the 1970s but to a high standard, while neighbouring sections such as the Zeals bypass, the Ilchester-Ilminster online section and the Wincanton-Sparkford Bypass section are 1990s builds and seem in many ways of a lower standard, apart from perhaps the big overblown GSJ near South Petherton.

A giveaway here is that the cable central reservation barrier on the South Petherton - Ilchester online section continues along the 70s Ilchester bypass, giving the impression that the latter was built at the same time as the former. As far as i'm aware, cable barriers weren't used until the 90s, but I could be proven wrong. Was there previously an Armco along the Ilchester bypass?

I seem to remember that cable was installed along there because of the risk of snowdrifts in winter. Could very well be mis-remembering though.

Snowdrifts? In Somerset? No the cable barriers were (then) just a new experimental form of crash barrier.

[hoagy_ytfc]

Adjoining sections of A303 in Somerset spring to mind. The Ilchester and Wincanton bypasses were built in the 1970s but to a high standard, while neighbouring sections such as the Zeals bypass, the Ilchester-Ilminster online section and the Wincanton-Sparkford Bypass section are 1990s builds and seem in many ways of a lower standard...

The Zeals bypass is bendier, but it feels newer to me because of the style of lay-by - the ones where you veer off into a lane and the actual parking is offset from that.

[Norfolktolancashire]

To give a contrary example, the Glasgow extension of the M74 doesn't look like a 2011 road

Not because of the quality of the road, but rather that it's the type of urban motorway which basically hasn't been built since the 60s and 70s!

It's a well designed motorway, except for the speed limits! It would be interesting if similar was built in say, inner Manchester, to extend the M606 south to the M67!

Is there that much demand for a trans-pennine Tameside-Bradford motorway?

Joking aside, this is pretty much what the Mancunian Way was originally meant to do, except both the M602 and M67 fell some way short at both ends.

A Bradford to Stockport motorway would be interesting, after all it's just a load of boring moorland in between!

[Peter350]

It's a well designed motorway, except for the speed limits! It would be interesting if similar was built in say, inner Manchester, to extend the M606 south to the M67!

Is there that much demand for a trans-pennine Tameside-Bradford motorway?

Joking aside, this is pretty much what the Mancunian Way was originally meant to do, except both the M602 and M67 fell some way short at both ends.

A Bradford to Stockport motorway would be interesting, after all it's just a load of boring moorland in between!

Or even better, build the M67 Trans-pennine tunnel to Sheffield and then have an M606 southwards extension meeting it.

[A3-Andrew]

For a road that looks newer, I nominate the A27 Shoreham bypass. It was built in 1970 but the very impressive Adur GSJ and the wide D3 cutting east of it make it look more like it was constructed in the late 80s/early 90s.

This section was changed significantly when the final section of the Brighton bypass’s was opened in the mid 1990s. The section here was originally D2, terminating at the roundabout adjacent to the out of town M&S and everyone was forced to crawl through Southwick. The Southwick section of the Brighton bypass was the last to open in the mid 1990s when the Southwick Tunnel was completed. So for a few years all Brighton bypass traffic was forced to use the current A270 and A293 through Southwick and Hangleton whilst the rest of the bypass was opened. So the road you see now with its gantrys and tunnel infrastructure is of a later vintage that the original Shoreham bypass layout.

The late-sixties aspect to the bridge section of the flyover can be seen in my opinion by the fact that the "on-slip" (for want of a better word) of the junction with Coombes Road is clearly like the German Autobahn style junction that you get on - say - the M2 where a bite out of the hard shoulder is taken to allow your increase in speed. Since it was made, it looks like it has been made more gradual in style with hatched white lines "gently" guiding you into the main flow of the A27.

Something happened around 1980, too, as far as I can see. Dual carriageways suddenly got a wider hard-strip. You can see this for example on another road in West Sussex - the A24, around Dial Post. Does anyone know what caused that and when it was done?

[Clygro]

Older or newer then it is (mostly older), the M2 Medway Bridge.

[Bryn666]

Wire barriers were first trialled on the M62 in 1971 to prevent snowdrifts. The modern wire rope safety fence is a different design. Be wary of aging roads from that.

The first modern WRSF I ever saw was on the Dec 1997 length of M65 but that road very definitely looks 22 years old.

[Chris56000]

Hi!

[The first modern WRSF I ever saw was on the Dec 1997 length of M65 but that road very definitely looks 22 years old.

Two things that make the M65 age badly is Lancashire's happy custom of keeping ancient old directional signage until it fades/rusts away to almost nothing and white lines along the road ditto!

The crappy signing along the Lancashire–managed stretch from J10 to it's eastern end on Vivary Way Roundabout was only modernised only less than six months ago – it hadn't been improved from since it was built!

The "no stopping" sign mounted on the same plate as the e.o.m. sign approaching Vivary Way had faded away to a white circle by the time it was replaced, and the replacement was half the size of the old one!

Chris Williams

[CrazyInWeston]

Y'all talking about roads from the 1970's or 80's and most of them bypasses. I believe the topic is roads that "dont" look their age. I may be wrong but I'm thinking the OP is asking for roads that are old, but dont look it. (of course many roads are old but by way of retarmacing the roads get a fresh newer look, but I'm guessing the OP is looking for the oldest tarmac...)

A370 heading south from Bleadon hill. Built between 1929 and 1932, it quite clearly doesnt look like its been repaved and no one would be any the wiser to think that stretch is 90yrs old. It still blends with the modern times. Noisy to drive down though, tyre noise is very excessive down this road.

I can be wrong and would be quite happily to hold my hand up if I am, if the OP could be a little clearer to what exactly are they asking, then maybe there wouldnt be this confusion.

[KeithW]

Y'all talking about roads from the 1970's or 80's and most of them bypasses. I believe the topic is roads that "dont" look their age. I may be wrong but I'm thinking the OP is asking for roads that are old, but dont look it. (of course many roads are old but by way of retarmacing the roads get a fresh newer look, but I'm guessing the OP is looking for the oldest tarmac...)

A370 heading south from Bleadon hill. Built between 1929 and 1932, it quite clearly doesnt look like its been repaved and no one would be any the wiser to think that stretch is 90yrs old. It still blends with the modern times. Noisy to drive down though, tyre noise is very excessive down this road.

I can be wrong and would be quite happily to hold my hand up if I am, if the OP could be a little clearer to what exactly are they asking, then maybe there wouldnt be this confusion.

First you have to define what a road is !
One common definition is "a wide way leading from one place to another, especially one with a specially prepared surface which vehicles can use."

I can provide one very good candidate for the oldest road surface in Britain - the Roman Road over Wheeldale Moor.


Its hard to put a an exact date on it however as all roads ancient and modern need maintenance and that includes periodic resurfacing. Much of the M1 has changed radically since it was opened but there are motorways that have scarcely changed such as the M11 north of Stump Cross and the A1(M) Darlington bypass.

Personally I prefer to define a road as the route rather than the physical aspect it currently displays as that is constantly changing as I know after 40 years of driving up and down the Great North Road aka A1.

There are roads that were already in existence when the Romans arrived in Britain. We know there was a major road junction at what we call Scotch Corner between the Great North Road and the route to the west coast because a major battle was fought between the Brigantes and Roman Army over it. Whoever controlled Scotch Corner and Catterick controlled the North. Given that much of both roads followed the same route then as they do today a very good case can be made for stating both the A66 and A1 are roads that dont look their age.

In both cases there are even modern military garrisons close to the Roman equivalents at Warcop and Catterick (Cataractonium). As we know from the remains uncovered when the A1 was recently upgraded Cataractonium also had the Roman equivalent of a Motorway Service area (taberna) ,with a complex of fast food outlets (thermopolia) and overnight lodgings (cauponae for the plebs and a mansio for the important people) The posh places came complete with a stable for the horses and a bath house. There was a detachment of what we regard as traffic police stationed there who were tasked with enforcing the law. "Hello there sir did you realise you were doing almost 5 miles per hour when you passed the town boundary - the fine for that is 10 sesterces "

SImilar examples include the Fosse Way, Watling Street (the A2 and A5 ) and Ermine Street aka the Old North Road (A1 and A15) to Lincoln.

[CrazyInWeston]

First you have to define what a road is !.......

Interesting read, thanks.

[roadtester]

. For a road that looks older, I nominate the Medway Tunnel on the A289. It was built in 1996, but the brickwork of the structure and surrounding retaining walls looks more reminiscent of the 80s. To provide a fair comparison, the Ramsgate Tunnel on the A299 was completed only 4 years later, yet looks like it came from a completely different era due to its modern, arched design.

The Medway Tunnel along with the Medway towns Northern relief road project, was designed in the 1980's (1984 to be exact), It originally had been slated to be built in phases from 1986 to 1990 but delayed due to funding. The tunnel was built as originally designed and deliberately designed to blend into it's surroundings hence the extensive use of red brick cladding to fit in with much of the Historic Dockyard and Chatham Maritime's building architecture, akin to the similarly aged Meir tunnel in Stoke

Now ageing and badly in need of repairs, apparently:

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/new ... rs-237833/

[jackal]

The NI A1 section built in 2006 could have been built 40 years before except for the median barrier.

Good grief, did they seriously build a D2 with hard shoulders and central reserve gaps in 2006??

[Ben302]

. For a road that looks older, I nominate the Medway Tunnel on the A289. It was built in 1996, but the brickwork of the structure and surrounding retaining walls looks more reminiscent of the 80s. To provide a fair comparison, the Ramsgate Tunnel on the A299 was completed only 4 years later, yet looks like it came from a completely different era due to its modern, arched design.

The Medway Tunnel along with the Medway towns Northern relief road project, was designed in the 1980's (1984 to be exact), It originally had been slated to be built in phases from 1986 to 1990 but delayed due to funding. The tunnel was built as originally designed and deliberately designed to blend into it's surroundings hence the extensive use of red brick cladding to fit in with much of the Historic Dockyard and Chatham Maritime's building architecture, akin to the similarly aged Meir tunnel in Stoke

Now ageing and badly in need of repairs, apparently:

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/new ... rs-237833/

The council want to upgrade the lighting which is still of the older CFL and HPS units including the lighting on the eastern side, to LED but haven't got funding for it. Several pockets of land adjacent to the tunnel are being developed as a mix of housing and commercial and the council want them to help fund the upgrades.

[matt-thepie]

The NI A1 section built in 2006 could have been built 40 years before except for the median barrier.

Good grief, did they seriously build a D2 with hard shoulders and central reserve gaps in 2006??

Aren't the newest bits of the A66 DC similarly cheaply done?