A194
A194 | |||||||
Location Map ( geo) | |||||||
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From: | Wardley (NZ311613) | ||||||
To: | South Shields (NZ365668) | ||||||
Distance: | 5 miles (8 km) | ||||||
Meets: | A194(M), A184, B1306, B1516, A19, A1300, A185, B1301, B1303, A183, A1018 | ||||||
Former Number(s): | A1055, A185 | ||||||
Primary Destinations | |||||||
Highway Authorities | |||||||
Traditional Counties | |||||||
Route outline (key) | |||||||
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For the original route, which ran from Seaton Burn to Blyth, see A194 (Cramlington - Shankhouse).
The A194 is an urban A-road in south Tyneside, dual carriageway for most of its length.
Route
The primary A194 begins where its motorway namesake the A194(M) terminates on the A184. We head north on a D2 with a 40 mph speed limit, passing a Shell garage. A roundabout with the B1306 followed by a GSJ with the B1516 are both negotiated prior to meeting the A19 at a larger roundabout.
The A194 continues straight ahead, still as D2, but almost immediately a further roundabout sees it lose its primary status. The A1300 heading off to the right continues with this honour. The A194 is still D2 however, as we pass a large Tesco superstore, a McDonalds and other symbols of modern urban life.
Two small roundabouts, both with unclassified routes, are passed before we meet the A185 at another roundabout just at the edge of some railway arches. The A185 heads left towards the Tyne Tunnel whilst the A194 forks right towards South Shields.
We pass Tyne Dock before bearing left to bypass the suburb of Chichester. The roundabouts now come thick and fast. Eventually the dual carriageway ends at a roundabout with the B1303 and the A194 passes under the metro to end opposite South Shields town hall, at traffic lights where the A183 and A1018 also end.
History
As may be gathered from its number, the A194 is not in its original position. The road - and its motorway namesake - came into existence in the 1960s following the construction of the Tyne Tunnel. The majority of the road, as far as Tyne Dock, is a heavily upgraded A1055 and the remainder of the road into South Shields was originally the A185.
Given that the A194 was built specifically to serve the Tyne Tunnel it is interesting that when the A1 was rerouted through it in the 1970s it took over the A194(M) but then headed east along the A184 to reach the A19. The A194 therefore cut off the corner but never became part of the A1.
Opening Dates
Year | Section | Notes |
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1965 | Leam Lane Dualling | The 2.25 mile online dualling scheme along Leam Lane was from White Mare Pool to Lindisfarne Interchange and on to John Reid Road. Work started in September 1963 with a forecast completion date of September 1965. |
1987 | South Shields Western Approach Road | Opened on 7 September 1987 by Peter Bottomley, Minister for Roads and Traffic. Cost £5.4 million. |