A498 road
A498 | |
---|---|
Route information | |
Length | 14.8 mi[1] (23.8 km) |
Major junctions | |
north end | 53°04′55″N 4°00′08″W / 53.0819°N 4.0022°W |
south end | 52°56′01″N 4°09′15″W / 52.9336°N 4.1543°W |
Location | |
Country | United Kingdom |
Constituent country | Wales |
Road network | |
The A498 is a 16-mile road between Pen-y-Gwryd and Porthmadog in North Wales.
At Pen-y-Gwryd, the
There is a steep descent of Nantgwynant and some 1+3⁄4 miles of this is on a substandard, narrow twisting alignment, where larger vehicles have difficulty in passing. There are further substandard sections in the Aberglaslyn Pass and towards Tremadog and coaches have had difficulty passing in this section. The road passes through Beddgelert by way of a sharp right angled bend over a river bridge, not recommended for articulated vehicles. In the Aberglaslyn Pass the trackbed of the Welsh Highland Railway, now being reconstructed, can be seen on the opposite side of the Afon Glaslyn. At its west end, the route crosses the new A487 Porthmadog Bypass at a roundabout west of Tremadog.
Recent improvements
In late 2008 the Bryn-y-felin road bridge was rebuilt over the Welsh Highland Railway[2] as part of Gwynedd Council's WHR Bridges policy. Unfortunately the bridge was rebuilt with such narrow dimensions that vehicles wider than a standard car find it difficult to pass.
History
The road was created from early toll roads. There was some improvement in the 1960s/70s in Nantgwynant and south of the Aberglaslyn Pass. Just south of the Goat Hotel in Beddgelert is an arched railway overbridge (with height and width restrictions) built by the Portmadoc, Beddgelert and South Snowdon Railway but never used.
References
- ^ "Directions to A498". Google. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
- ^ https://www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/Bryn_y_Felin_Road_bridge