A5/A483 Mile End Roundabout 3rd time lucky - A dumbbell

[rhyds]

Have just been staying near Oswestry over the Bank Holiday long weekend (Thu-Mon). Wasn't familiar with this area but the five roundabouts on the A483/A5 multiplex seen to be responsible for a lot of delays, in an area which is not that densely populated and shouldn't really have huge traffic problems.

D2 for the length of the multiplex, which brings together a lot of long distance traffic with local journeys, would be ideal but I can see too that the topography might make that very expensive. But at the very least opportunities to make some of the route free-flowing should be taken when doing redesigns such as this.

The problem isn't so much the local traffic, but rather the fact that the A5 is still a busy route for access to North Wales and Caergybi/Holyhead (mainly via the A55 route, but also the A5 itself).

[c2R]

The AADT of the A5 there was 25k in 2014.... so on that basis it should be D2 at a minimum...

[Robert Kilcoyne]

The AADT of the A5 there was 25k in 2014.... so on that basis it should be D2 at a minimum...

The A483 is also the main route between mid-Wales and Merseyside/Manchester, so there are two differing movements (southeast-northwest and north-south) using the same section of road. The multiplex should really have been built as D2.

[rhyds]

Problem is that the section includes two substantial viaducts over the Ceiriog and Dyfrdwy/Dee rivers. I doubt they were cheap to build as S2s and definitely wouldn't be as D2s.

[c2R]

Problem is that the section includes two substantial viaducts over the Ceiriog and Dyfrdwy/Dee rivers. I doubt they were cheap to build as S2s and definitely wouldn't be as D2s.

Not quite, the Dee crossing isn't on the multiplex, so there is only a single substantial viaduct. However, I think that the problem is really through the junctions at the moment - even if the rest of the route was dualled with junction improvements, the viaducts could be left for later (as happens on the continent, e.g. Viaduc du Radier d'Aclou-La Risle on the A28 in France or the Prümtalbrücke on the A60 in Germany)

Simply adding more sheds and readons to clog the existing roundabouts wihtout looking at the wider issue though really isn't helpful

[tomuk]

The AADT of the A5 there was 25k in 2014.... so on that basis it should be D2 at a minimum...

The A483 is also the main route between mid-Wales and Merseyside/Manchester, so there are two differing movements (southeast-northwest and north-south) using the same section of road. The multiplex should really have been built as D2.

It is also the quickest route to the Liverpool/Manchester/Leeds/Preston from Shrewsbury. A49 is a nightmare behind a lorry. And M6 is difficult to get to without doglegging to the east at Stoke.

[Euan]

The AADT of the A5 there was 25k in 2014.... so on that basis it should be D2 at a minimum...

The A483 is also the main route between mid-Wales and Merseyside/Manchester, so there are two differing movements (southeast-northwest and north-south) using the same section of road. The multiplex should really have been built as D2.

I think the amount of traffic on the A5/A483 multiplex travelling between NW England and Mid Wales will be fairly small in comparison to the levels of traffic created by the presence of larger settlements such as Shrewsbury and Wrexham with drivers heading in the direction of Merseyside and the West Midlands respectively.

[Big L]

The AADT of the A5 there was 25k in 2014.... so on that basis it should be D2 at a minimum...

The A483 is also the main route between mid-Wales and Merseyside/Manchester, so there are two differing movements (southeast-northwest and north-south) using the same section of road. The multiplex should really have been built as D2.

I think the amount of traffic on the A5/A483 multiplex travelling between NW England and Mid Wales will be fairly small in comparison to the levels of traffic created by the presence of larger settlements such as Shrewsbury and Wrexham with drivers heading in the direction of Merseyside and the West Midlands respectively.

Not to mention (since you didn't) the considerable amount of traffic between Shrewsbury (and beyond) and Llangollen (and beyond). So, almost anyone in the West Midlands that wants Snowdonia or any of the west coast of wales north of Barmouth.