A40 (Northern Ireland)
A40 | ||||
Location Map ( geo) | ||||
| ||||
From: | Derry (C436162) | |||
To: | Mullennan (border), near Carrigans (C383127) | |||
Distance: | 4.2 miles (6.8 km) | |||
Meets: | A2, B524, B193, R236 | |||
Former Number(s): | B71 | |||
Primary Destinations | ||||
Highway Authorities | ||||
Traditional Counties | ||||
Route outline (key) | ||||
|
Route
The A40 runs from Derry on the opposite side of the River Foyle to the A5, up to where it meets the border with the Republic.
It starts on the A2 at the western end of the lower deck of the Craigavon Bridge and runs along Foyle Road, bypassing the historic city to the southeast. It stays close to the west bank of the Foyle until clear of the urban area, then turns inland. There's a TOTSO with the B193, which goes towards Letterkenny, after which there's a straight run up to the border with the Republic, where the road becomes the R236.
History
The A40 was originally classified as the B71 up to the B193 TOTSO and was unclassified from there on. The route was upgraded to Class I status not long after classification, and had become so by the mid 1920s, presumably because Lifford and Strabane were considered more important destinations than Letterkenny. It also allowed traffic to reach these towns without having to go over the 19th-century Carlisle Bridge, predecessor of the Craigavon Bridge (completed in 1933).