The A38 is England's longest two-digit road, stretching 292 miles from Cornwall to Mansfield.
In short: Tracing a path from Bodmin to the northern Midlands, the A38 is a vital artery of English travel. Once the primary holiday route to the southwest, it now serves as a complex mix of modern dual carriageways, ancient Roman paths, and urban streets, reflecting a century of evolving infrastructure.
Designated in 1922, the A38 originally connected Plymouth to Derby. Over the decades, it expanded significantly, reaching Bodmin in the west and Mansfield in the north by 1977. Today, it spans 292 miles (470 km), holding the title of the longest two-digit A-road in England. Its history is deeply layered; in the West Midlands, the route incorporates ancient Saxon salt roads and Roman paths like Icknield Street, while other sections were built on the alignments of former railway lines, such as the Totnes to Ashburton route.
The road's character shifts dramatically along its length. Between Plymouth and Exeter, it is known as the Devon Expressway, a dual carriageway serving as a crucial southward extension of the M5 motorway. This section features significant engineering feats, including the 1996 replacement of the River Plym viaducts. That project utilized the world's largest sideways bridge slide at the time, moving a 5,500-tonne structure to minimize traffic disruption to just 48 hours. Conversely, other parts of the A38 remain urban, such as the four-mile stretch through Derby or the busy shopping parades of Gloucester Road in Bristol.
The A38 has frequently adapted to the rise of the motorway network. Before the M5 was completed in the 1960s and 1970s, the A38 was the primary holiday route for travelers heading to Cornwall and Devon. As the M5 opened, the A38 was often relegated to local traffic or upgraded to complement the motorway. Today, the road remains a critical, if sometimes contested, piece of infrastructure. Sections like the Devon Expressway have faced scrutiny over accident rates due to substandard design, leading to ongoing safety improvements, while urban segments continue to grapple with heavy congestion and the need for modern bypasses.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: A38 road
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