THE A55 - EVOLUTION AND UPGRADING OF A STRATEGIC ROUTE

A short history of the A55, the main coastal road across North Wales is given. Increasing demands on the Welsh road network in the 1960's resulted in a Welsh office review of the network in 1967. The review designated the a55 as a road of strategic importance, and proposed to improve it to a dual carriageway road. These improvements required the construction of bypasses around centres of population on the existing road. Major public enquiries were held for the siting of bypasses through Colwyn Bay, Llandudno, Conwy (Conway), Holywell and Bangor. The A55 passes through an area of outstanding natural beauty, and special procedures were needed to acquire new areas of land in these areas, and for improvements to utilise land containing old mine workings. The upgrading of the road produced major engineering problems, which were resolved by: (1) construction of a rock tunnel through the penmaenbach headland; (2) construction of an immersed tube tunnel at Conwy to protect the setting of the 13th century castle; (3) the diversion of the road along the sea promenade, building of new sea defences and promenade to bypass penmaenmawr; (4) some realignment of the railway line along the coastal strip from Colwyn bay westwards. Construction work has been completed in stages with remaining sections of dualling in preparation for completion in the early 1990's. Costs of the schemes are quoted. See also IRRD 819836 and 819837.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/02656868
• Corporate Authors:

  INSTITUTION OF HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORTATION

  6 ENDSLEIGH STREET
  LONDON,   United Kingdom  WC1H 0DZ
• Authors:
  • Hawker, B H
• Publication Date: 1988-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 4-6,8
• Serial:
  • HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORTATION
  • Volume: 35
  • Issue Number: 11
  • Publisher: INSTITUTION OF HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORTATION
  • ISSN: 0265-6868

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Arterial highways; Beltways; Bypasses; Costs; Highways; Improvements; Pavement widening; Public participation; Road construction; Traffic diversion; Tunnels; Underwater construction; Underwater structures
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Finance; Highways; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00492950
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: May 31 1990 12:00AM