|
The Portway is a trunk road, approximately long, which links central Bristol, England, with its port at Avonmouth. It is part of the A4 road, which was the primary east west highway in Southern England before the construction of the M4 motorway. The road starts at the Junction of Bridge Valley Road & Hotwell Road Hotwells and runs through the Avon Gorge, parallel to the serpentine path of the River Avon. It passes through the suburbs of Sea Mills, where it crosses the River Trym, and Shirehampton, before terminating at a roundabout in Avonmouth at a junction with the M5 motorway. ==Construction== Construction of the Portway started in 1919,〔 〕 partly on the line of the Bristol Port and Pier Railway. In 1924, approximately of newly constructed concrete embankment slid into the river, posing a hazard to navigation and adding 12 months to the duration of the work.〔 The Portway was the most expensive road in Britain when it was opened by the Minister of Transport, Colonel Wilfrid Ashley, in 1926, costing £800,000.〔 Electric lighting was provided to illuminate the new road, but for one year after the opening the lights were kept switched off following objections from river pilots who argued that they would make it hard to distinguish the navigation lights of shipping and the signal lights on the shore. Eventually the electric lights were turned on at a reduced brilliance. Rockfalls from the limestone cliffs of the Avon Gorge have caused a hazard to motorists on occasion and every year the road is closed to allow for inspection of the cliffs for potentially dangerous cracks and loose rocks, and to allow remedial works.〔 〕 In 1980, a glass fibre reinforced concrete canopy was constructed over Hotwell Road (just before it becomes The Portway) where it passes under the Clifton Suspension Bridge in order to protect traffic from danger at that point.〔 (【引用サイトリンク】title=GFRC: recent uses and developments ) 〕 In 2001, a water main burst near the junction with Bridge Valley Road, causing a major collapse and putting the road out of action for several months. One passer-by was swept into the river but was rescued uninjured.〔 〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Portway, Bristol」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|