Route Completion
The second phase of the road was completed in 1990, cutting through Bilston town centre and linking up with the A41.
The next phase was opened in February 1995, between Oxford Street and Hare Street, followed by the link between The Keyway south of Willenhall and Junction 10 of the M6 motorway on the border of Willenhall and Walsall. The completion of an overbridge crossing Darlaston Lane in July 1995 saw the full route opened by European Commissioner and former Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock.
Its completion coincided with the completion of another substantial road project - the Black Country New Road - which linked Bilston with West Bromwich.
The building of the route is criticised for reaching maximum vehicle capacity within weeks of opening, especially in the area East bound towards junction 10 of the M6 motorway, which has severe tailbacking in rush hour periods. Due to financial cut backs over the intervening years of planning, the route was downgraded with surface level roundabouts around the town of Bilston, thus hardly alleviating any of the traffic congestion that the split level junctions were designed to help avoid. Traffic signal systems were installed for one Bilston roundabout with more planned due to the overwhelming traffic around the town, thus adding to the congestion problems that are particularly problematic at rush hours.
Read more about this topic: Black Country Route
Famous quotes containing the word route:
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