Signed routes that are significantly longer

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jervi
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Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 16:29
Location: West Sussex

Signed routes that are significantly longer

Post by jervi »

Was doing the casual bit of google street viewing at 2am, and found that a signed route seems to take almost twice the time and an extra 2 miles than the common logic alternative.
When heading east along the A272, at the junction with the A23 the signs say "Lewes (A275)", so assuming it means the route of A272 -> A275 . That journey with no traffic would take 31 mins and 18.4 miles (according to Google). Also both roads are S2, passing through many villages and includes a level crossing.
The common sense route would be A23 -> A27, that takes 18 minutes and 16.8 miles. This route would take you on mostly D2, with a bit D3 / D3+4, all NSL (when eastbound).

These times and distances are with no traffic, once you add traffic (peak), the A272 drops to about 40MPH (where NSL/50) and A275 to about 45MPH (where NSL/50), while the effect on the A23/A27 is not huge (at the moment, once Arundel, Worthing and Chichester get new bypasses it might be a different story).

Are there any examples that you can think of.
And can anyone explain why this destination/route has been chosen in the past. (Most new signs on the A272 use Uckfield now instead of Lewes)

The best explanation I can think of is the destination on the signs are based on an old strategic signing map, made before the A23 and A27 was fully dualed and Brighton Bypass built. So at that point in time the A27 was so congested, they opted to use the A272 for all east-west routes where possible, and potentially that's why the A272 is potentially a Primary Route too.

https://www.google.com/maps/@50.9883643 ... 312!8i6656
(Also the M23 doesn't have () around it)
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the cheesecake man
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Location: Sheffield

Re: Signed routes that are significantly longer

Post by the cheesecake man »

Approaching Sheffield from the north on the M1, signs for Sheffield (Central) will take all the way to junction 33, to the east of the city. Leaving at junction 36 (signed Sheffield (North)), 35 (signed only for Rotherham), or 34 (signed Sheffield (East) and Meadowhall)) are much shorter.
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