The M73 is a motorway in Glasgow and North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is 7 miles (11 km) long and connects the M74 motorway with the M80 motorway, providing an eastern bypass for Glasgow. The short stretch between junctions 1 and 2 is part of unsigned international E-road network E05, where it continues along the M8 through Glasgow. To the south, the M74 motorway is also part of the E05.
 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 M73 highlighted in blue | ||||
| Route information | ||||
Part of  E05 | ||||
| Length | 7.0 mi (11.3 km) | |||
| Existed | 1969–present | |||
| History | constructed 1969 – 2011 | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end | Uddingston[1] | |||
  M74 motorway   M8 motorway   M80 motorway | ||||
| North end | Mollinsburn | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United Kingdom | |||
| Primary destinations | Cumbernauld, Hamilton, Motherwell, Carlisle | |||
| Road network | ||||
| ||||
Route
editStarting at the M74 junction 4 (M73 junction 1) by the River Clyde, it proceeds north with Birkenshaw to the east and crosses the Whifflet railway line before meeting the M8 and A8 at a three-level interchange, west of Swinton. Immediately afterwards the North Clyde railway line and then passes alongside Woodend Loch before reaching junction 2A at Gartcosh. There is then a further 2 miles (3.2 km) of motorway, before traffic exits onto the M80 westbound.
The road is a dual three-lane road between junctions 1 and 2, and a dual two-lane road between junctions 2 and 3. It is subject to the national speed limit.
History and future plans
editConstruction began in 1969 with the motorway opening between May 1971 and April 1972.[2] Junction 2A was added at a later date.[1]
In 2011, the northern end was extended as part of the M80 completion project. This connects the motorway into the completed M80 at a new interchange.[3] Further work in 2017 improved access from the M74 at Junction 3A, and from the M8 and A8 at Baillieston Interchange.[4]
Junctions
edit| County | Location | mi | km | Junction | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Lanarkshire | Glasgow | 0 | 0 | 1[coord 1] |  M74 – Carlisle, Glasgow
|
|
| Glasgow | 1.5 | 2.4 | 2[coord 2] |  M8 – Edinburgh, Glasgow A8 – Barlanark,  A89 – Gallowgate, Coatbridge
|
No Northbound entrance from West on M8 | |
| North Lanarkshire | 4.2 | 6.8 | 2a[coord 3] |  A752 – Gartcosh, Muirhead
|
||
| 6.4 | 10.3 | 3[coord 4] |  M80 – Stirling A80 – Moodiesburn, Chryston
|
No exit to M80 going Westward or entrance from M80 from the West | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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- Coordinate list
Gallery
edit-
The interchange with the M74. -
The M73 just before the Gartcosh cutoff
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "CBRD Motorway Database – M73". Cbrd.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "The Motorway Archive – M73 Dates Page". Iht.org. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ Official M80 Completion Website – Scheme Map (PDF)
- ^ New aerial footage as M8 M73 M74 project nears completion, Daily Record, 5 January 2017