B85 (Northern Ireland)
| B85 | ||||
| Location Map ( geo) | ||||
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| From: | Strabane (H345975) | |||
| To: | Clady (H291939) | |||
| Distance: | 4.2 miles (6.8 km) | |||
| Meets: | B72, A5, B165, unclassified | |||
| Former Number(s): | A5 | |||
| Primary Destinations | ||||
| Highway Authorities | ||||
| Traditional Counties | ||||
| Route outline (key) | ||||
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The B85 is a short B-road in west County Tyrone.
The road starts at a mini-roundabout on the B72 (former A5) in the centre of Strabane and heads west. It almost immediately crosses a bridge over the River Mourne, after which a set of traffic lights, on another, now unclassified, former alignment of the A5 is then crossed. The present route of that road is then met at another set of traffic lights.
After crossing the A5 the road continues through the suburbs and soon reaches open country. To the right is the valley of the River Finn; the hills on the far side are in County Donegal. The road is more-or-less straight as it follows the river upstream and presently reaches Clady.
On the near side of town the B165 comes in from the left. The B85 then runs along the main street, with a short section of traffic calming, before reaching a 7-arch stone bridge over the River Finn. The bridge is narrow and an alternate one-way system is controlled by traffic lights. The B85 ends at the border, in the middle of the bridge. The road ahead is unclassified but the N15 is reached a few hundred yards further on.
Early maps suggest that the original route of the B85 headed southwest out of Clady in the direction of Doneyloop, ending at the next border crossing south of the road's present end. If this is true this route did not last long.
