Is the M90 the steepest section of motorway in the UK?
Located in the central part of Scotland, the busy M90 Motorway might be the steepest section of motorway in the UK.
What’s the M90 Motorway?
The road, the oldest motorway in the country, is entirely paved and runs from Edinburgh to Perth. It’s 36 mi (58 km) long. Linking the cities of Edinburgh and Perth, the M90 motorway remains a very important piece of its road network. It originally began at Admiralty, near Dunfermline, and ran for thirty miles, bypassing the towns of Kelty, Kinross, and Bridge of Earn. Constructed in several contracts between 1964 and 1980, it is primarily a dual two-lane motorway. In 2017, with the construction of the Queensferry Crossing, the M90 was extended southwards to Kirkliston, connecting with the M9 motorway for the first time. Along its route, the M90 boasts many interesting engineering features.
How steep is the M90 Motorway near Craigend Interchange?
At Craigend, the motorway splits into two sections, each completed in 1978. One proceeds westwards towards the A9 at Broxden Roundabout and the second continues northwards towards Friarton Bridge and the A90. Ronnie Land, who worked on the scheme in the 1960s, notes that the western stretch is notable for its gradient of 5.65% downhill, with the reverse spur being 4.57% uphill - the recommended maximum at the time of its construction was 3%. The very steep gradient for just over a mile can cause problems if multiple lorries are heading to Broxden.
Road suggested by: Ronnie Land