Beechtrees and Breakspears Interchanges
Beechtrees & Breakspears Interchanges | |||
Location Map ( geo) | |||
| |||
Location | |||
between Hemel Hempstead and St Albans | |||
County | |||
Hertfordshire | |||
Highway Authority | |||
National Highways • Hertfordshire | |||
Junction Type | |||
Trumpet and Fork linked by C/D roads | |||
Roads Joined | |||
M1, A414 | |||
Junctions 7 (Beechtrees) and 8 (Breakspears) on the M1, recently merged into one junction during recent widening works, which added collector-distributor roads between the junctions. Originally the junctions were with the M10 and A4147, but now both junctions are with the A414.
History
The interchanges were built originally in 1959 as part of the original section of the M1. It was designed by Hertfordshire County Council using bridge designs licensed from Sir Owen Williams and Partners for the section of the original M1 designed by them from junctions 10 to 18.
Junction 7 was the fork interchange where the three lane southbound M1 divided into two 2-lane motorways, one being the M10 to Park Street roundabout, and the other being the M1 to the original southern terminus at Aldenham. There is no access from the northbound M10 (now A414)to the southbound M1 and vice versa.
Junction 8 was a trumpet interchange providing all movements between the M1 and the A4147 (now A414). A police/maintenance compound was located on the link road between the motorway and the Breakspear roundabout, hence the link road was not under motorway restrictions.
In the early 1980s M1 junctions 5 to 8 was widened in both directions to dual 3 lanes (5 to the site of Junction 6A (M25) and dual 4 lanes from junction 6A to 8. This necessitated the realignment of the M1 through junction 7, and the construction of a new bridge to carry the northbound M10 over the M1. The original bridge over the M1 was demolished, and the abutments buried within the embankment. Differential settlement over the abutments meant that even after completion of this scheme, it was possible to detect the position of the original bridge when driving over it.
As part of the M1 junction 6A to 10 scheme, substantially completed in 2008, the two junctions were combined into a single complex and the M10 and A414 were linked together by the construction of Collector-distributor roads. At the same time, the loop of the junction 8 trumpet was reversed to the north side of the link road and enlarged to improve the geometry of the junction.
On 1st May 2009 the M10 was de-specialised (lost its motorway status) and was re-classified as A414.
Routes
Route | To | Notes |
The NORTH, Luton & Airport | ||
London | ||
Hemel Hempstead | ||
St Albans, Hatfield | ||
St Albans, Hatfield (A414) | ||
Hemel Hempstead |
Strip Maps