Route description A38 road

bodmin birmingham

the road starts on eastern side of bodmin @ junction a30 before traversing edge of town meet a30 again. travels through picturesque glynn valley dobwalls , liskeard, bypassed dual carriageway. dobwalls section contains sophisticated bat bridge yet constructed in uk. a38 continues through cornish countryside, bypassing centre of saltash , continuing through saltash tunnel. after tunnel river tamar crossed using tamar bridge route resumes dual carriageway status. section plymouth exeter known locally devon expressway; forms southern border of dartmoor national park, , serves southward extension of m5 motorway opening in 1977. 42 miles (68 km) long , completed in 1970s. there several grade separated junctions along length local traffic; including three-level stacked roundabout a386, heads out towards dartmoor national park. route reserved parkway 1943, when included in plan plymouth.

in 1990s, marsh mills junction remodelled, reducing size of roundabout , building flyover on top of it, allowing free flowing access plympton bypass onto parkway. viaducts carrying a38 on river plym, after construction of marsh mills flyover became exeter bound sliproads, built in 1969–70 part of plympton bypass. replaced in 1990s due suffering alkali silica reaction, , project, completed in february 1996 @ cost of £12.25million, involved world s largest sideways bridge slide @ time 410 metres (1,350 ft), 5,500 tonne bridge. required road closed 48 hours, won aa national motoring award in 1996 innovation , minimisation of traffic congestion.

the south brent bypass opened in 1974 , ivybridge bypass in 1973, both on new alignments. a38 passes endsleigh garden centre, used have direct access dual carriageway, although since 2000s has been closed , garden centre accessed westover junction ivybridge. after ivybridge, route parallels original route, bypassing village of lee mill home large trading estate. road widens three-lane dual carriageway plympton bypass. opened in 1971 , first section of devon expressway built on new alignment, being first sizeable dual carriageway section of route. route ended @ marsh mills roundabout, when opened largest in europe.

the section of a38 between a382 junction , ashburton built on new alignment parallel old road, , opened in 1974. trago mills, locally known retailer, passed road. ashburton bypass, kennford bypass, uses alignment of older 1930s single carriageway bypass, subsequently upgraded dual carriageway 1974. @ town of buckfastleigh, route once again bypasses on new alignment, although due challenging topography of area, road crosses part of town on viaduct. buckfastleigh a385 junction, current road follows route of original single carriageway, majority of section being upgraded between 1973 , 1974, although small section @ dean prior upgraded between 1966 , 1967. section of poor quality when compared majority of route between exeter , plymouth, containing several side turnings short exit/entry slips, , properties onto road.

the town of chudleigh , village of chudleigh knighton bypassed on new alignment, opened in 1973, , following section @ heathfield a382 junction upgraded original route between 1966 , 1968. of section follows part of old teign valley line railway.

before kennford, route splits, a38 heading plymouth , a380 heading towards torbay. @ point, road becomes dual two-lane road although third-lane emerges uphill traffic route climbs haldon hill, has average gradient of 1 in 20 on 4 km distance, , maximum gradient of around 1 in 10 (the adjacent a380 telegraph hill has same maximum gradient). third lane lost @ top of hill, , next section, harcombe bends original dual carriageway section, older rest of route , evident sharp bends.

the devon expressway ends near village of kennford, south of exeter, @ terminus of m5. initial section opened in 1977, along remaining section of m5, , three-lane dual carriageway. village of kennford bypassed, on alignment of 1930s bypass, upgraded dual carriageway in 1960s , widened dual three-lane road in 1975.

a junction south of exeter represents third meeting point of a38 a30, point a38 multiplexes m5 before re-emerging junction 27 near waterloo cross, 21 miles (34 km) north of exeter. junction 27 a38 heads north via wellington, taunton, bridgwater, highbridge , bristol. waterloo cross birmingham, road paralleled m5, a38 has reverted taking local traffic only.

from bristol, continues north via gloucester, tewkesbury, worcester , bromsgrove birmingham. between worcester , birmingham a38 followed line of identified saxon salt road, 1 of 6 leading out of droitwich. @ bromsgrove, meets m42 , b4096 @ junction 1 @ lickey end.

a38 bristol road running through bournbrook, birmingham, before completion of selly oak bypass

it passes through upper catshill , meets m5 @ junction 4 (along a491 road) near lydiate ash. here edgbaston, road dual carriageway, single-lane sections having been replaced in first decade of 21st century (see history section, below).

in centre of birmingham, section of road becomes aston expressway a38(m) motorway, running north-eastern side of inner ring road through aston junction m6 motorway @ gravelly hill interchange, better known spaghetti junction.

the west midlands section of a38 1 of areas chosen highways agency monitor effectiveness of driver location signs in assisting motorists communicate location emergency services.

birmingham mansfield

from birmingham road bypasses sutton coldfield , lichfield, before taking route of roman road, ryknild street, (also spelt icknield or rykneld), far derby. @ wychnor, road crosses river trent , enters district of east staffordshire. @ barton turn, near b5016 junction, road runs right alongside cross country route around 1 mile (1.6 km). railway line follows line of a38 derby plymouth. alrewas burton, path called way millennium follows northbound carriageway.

from clay mills, road passes through district of south derbyshire, passing grade separated junction a5132 willington. there derby burton services @ burnaston a50 interchange. road enters city of derby borough 0.5 miles (0.80 km) north of littleover interchange. 4 miles (6.4 km), a38 forms part of derby s outer ring road, including 3 roundabouts: kingsway (or grand canyon) a5111; markeaton a52; , little eaton (or abbey hill) a61 , b6179. section of road between kingsway roundabout north of markeaton urban in nature , subject 40 mph (64 km/h) speed limit.

originally terminating in derby @ junction of babington lane st peter s street (formerly a6), road enters district of amber valley passes drum hill north of little eaton , crossed @ point midshires way , centenary way. there junction b6179 ripley , belper. @ alfreton, there grade separated junction a61, a615 , b6179. section alfreton m1, alfreton-south normanton bypass, opened a615 in late 1960s. section has grade separated junction b600 somercotes , cotes park industrial estate, , crosses nottingham spur of midland main line enters district of bolsover.

as 1970s upgrade route of a61 north of derby (which became b6179), a38 bypasses ripley passing through former opencast mining land, before joining end-on former a615 alfreton bypass @ watchorn intersection. road crosses m1 @ junction 28. nottinghamshire, road bypasses sutton-in-ashfield, dropping single carriageway configuration of 1980s construction, including multiple traffic light controlled junctions – such mansfield, ashfield regeneration route ( marr ). final section of a38 sutton, past king s mill hospital mansfield, purely urban in nature , single carriageway, joining a6009 in mansfield town centre @ end of route cornwall north midlands.