A1 Wideopen Bypass - Missing Hard Shoulder?

[jabbaboy]

As someone who quite travels along this stretch quite regular. I've always been curious if there was ever a Motorway planned here as all the bridges and even culverts are designed as if there's supposed to be a hard shoulder (can't see the need for a third lane ever) and has a very similar design to the A1(M) from Barton to Washington. It's in total contrast to the rest of the dual carriageways built in the area such as the A19, A189 and A69 which are narrow and tight towards their bridges.

https://goo.gl/maps/C2SDQ2HJMjePHfdT9
https://goo.gl/maps/Mvx7VzdRAhgGLaH19
https://goo.gl/maps/7ScmyxmmtFcamLQM6

Few examples of what I'm talking about in contrast to the A19 which is typical of the dual carriageways in the area - https://goo.gl/maps/RTaDRXR3Jny7jd6R8

[jervi]

I'd suggest it is for future expansion for a third lane. If other parts of the A1 were upgraded a third lane here may become a necessity.

[Bryn666]

Several structures when roads were planned under 'predict and provide' had passive provision for future widenings, because it was expected that the presence of the road would get busier and busier.

Compare with what happened to the Western Bypass which has had to be cheapo-widened and will eventually be a safety problem in its own right due to the narrow lanes and restricted sightlines. They've not learned from the M60's problems.

[Truvelo]

The A1 between Gosforth and the A19 was most likely built as part of the original A1(M) proposal running through the middle of Newcastle and Gateshead. Either the space was reserved for a future hard shoulder conversion to full motorway or a third lane from additional traffic a route running through the city would capture.

As for the Western Bypass there were proposals 25 years ago for a new bypass running to the southwest of the existing bypass. This would have started at the Metro Centre and rejoined the existing bypass at Birtley. The new bypass might only have needed to be D2 as the existing bypass would have acted as a collector/distributor for the local junctions.

[wrinkly]

I've always assumed the Wide Open bypass was designed for possible future conversion to D3 up to Seaton Burn but I suppose it's conceivable it could have been D2+HS instead. Did the proposed Newcastle motorways ever extend much outside the boundaries of Newcastle and Gateshead??

Originally the road had no marginal strips either nearside or offside. These were added when it was reconstructed - I forget the date but it was probably soon after the 1990 completion of the western bypass. I wondered at the time if they were going to make it D3, and when they didn't I thought it a missed opportunity.

Incidentally at one time the western bypass was going to use the existing Scotswood Bridge before they decided a new bridge at Blaydon would be needed. It's in one of the 1980s white papers.

[KeithW]

The upgrading of the A19 and the second tunnel at Jarrow changed the traffic patterns. Net traffic flow north is around 100 k, enough to justify D3 but 40k of that is now via the A19 and Tyne Tunnel. Remember for quite some time the A1/A1(M) route went along the A194(M)/A194 through the Tyne Tunnel. That was the A1 until the Western Bypass was built. The A19 ended at Testos, the road from the Tyne Tunnel to Seaton Burn was the A108 until about 1978 if I recall correctly, then it became the A1 and finally the A19.

[jackal]

Ironically this will soon be the only section of the Newcastle and Gateshead bypass other than Blaydon Bridge (and short sections inside junctions) not to be at least D3.

[jabbaboy]

Thanks guys some good replies. Just seems a weird decision to have that ready for a D3 yet the A19 at the same time was built at grade at Moor Farm and Silverlink. Guess we'll never see the traffic predictions from the 70's though and they were right in the end, shame that it's not being done though.

The upgrading of the A19 and the second tunnel at Jarrow changed the traffic patterns. Net traffic flow north is around 100 k, enough to justify D3 but 40k of that is now via the A19 and Tyne Tunnel. Remember for quite some time the A1/A1(M) route went along the A194(M)/A194 through the Tyne Tunnel. That was the A1 until the Western Bypass was built. The A19 ended at Testos, the road from the Tyne Tunnel to Seaton Burn was the A108 until about 1978 if I recall correctly, then it became the A1 and finally the A19.

The A108 ran from Seaton Burn to Seaham originally including the Sunderland Bypass (the North end of the route was build before the Southern end) and then when the A1(M) was routed through the tunnel the A19 was extended from Seaham to Testo's with the A1018 formed on the old A19 to South Shields. Then with the Western Bypass it was extended the rest of the way.

Believe the A1 Wide Open Bypass, A19 from Silverlink to Seaton Burn, A189 from Blyth to Longbenton and A192 northern Cramlington dual carriageway were all opened the same time around 1970 - 1972. Can see some of it on the maps on here. Then the Sunderland bypass opened a few years after (not sure on the date - 1975 I believe though) with parts of the A69 aswell including the Gateshead Bypass.

[Chris Bertram]

It's a curious feature of A19 that it originally had it's southern end on A1 but not it's northern end. Nowadays it's the other way round.

[wrinkly]

Believe the A1 Wide Open Bypass, A19 from Silverlink to Seaton Burn, A189 from Blyth to Longbenton and A192 northern Cramlington dual carriageway were all opened the same time around 1970 - 1972. Can see some of it on the maps on here. Then the Sunderland bypass opened a few years after (not sure on the date - 1975 I believe though) with parts of the A69 aswell including the Gateshead Bypass.

Also, according to the wiki Network_changes_-_1970s, Alnwick and Morpeth bypasses and Blagdon Bends, all in 1970.