View source for A487 road

{{Short description|Trunk road in Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox road
| maint = [[South Wales Trunk Road Agent]] and [[North & Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent]]
|country=GBR
|type=A
|route=487
|map=[[File:A487 road map.png|200px]]|map_custom=yes
|image      =A487 Road - geograph.org.uk - 243423.jpg
|image_notes=Between Machynlleth and Dolgellau with [[Cadair Idris]] in view
|length_mi  =174
|length_ref =<ref>{{cite web |url=https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Merlin's+Hill%2FA487&daddr=51.8807809,-5.2598465+to:51.991032,-5.0059907+to:51.9996565,-4.9328987+to:Treborth+Rd%2FA487&hl=en&ll=52.603048,-3.614502&spn=1.874994,4.96582&sll=51.802511,-4.972858&sspn=0.029828,0.077591&geocode=FclLFgMdeAe0_w%3BFUyjFwMdur2v_ylbZ9ZRSh5pSDF91zsEOEYx4g%3BFfhRGQMdWp2z_ymTwoFDV9doSDHidCxi24pa-A%3BFahzGQMd3rq0_ymNTGNAytZoSDE0MYbFNJ_v6g%3BFaYNLAMdPIXA_w&t=h&mra=dme&mrsp=0&sz=14&via=1,2,3&z=8 |title=Directions to Treborth Rd/A487 |publisher=Google Maps |access-date=14 April 2013}}</ref>
|direction_a= South
|terminus_a = [[Haverfordwest]]<br>{{coord|51.7926|-4.9789}}
|direction_b= North
|terminus_b = [[Bangor, Wales|Bangor]]<br>{{coord|53.2187|-4.1601}}
|junction   = {{jct|country=GBR|A|4076|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|40|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|478|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|484|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|486|noshield1=|nolink1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|482|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|485|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|4120|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|44|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|4159|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|489|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|493|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|470|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|494|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|493|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|496|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|4212|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|496|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|4085|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|498|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|499|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|4085|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|4086|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|4087|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|55|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|5|noshield1=|nolink1= }}
|destinations= [[Fishguard]]<br />[[Cardigan, Ceredigion|Cardigan]]<br />[[Aberystwyth]]<br />[[Machynlleth]]<br />[[Porthmadog]]<br />[[Caernarfon]]
}}

The '''A487''', officially the '''Fishguard to Bangor Trunk Road''', is a [[trunk road]] in [[Wales]] that follows the coast from [[Haverfordwest]], [[Pembrokeshire]], in the south, to [[Bangor, Wales|Bangor]], [[Gwynedd]], in the north.

==Route==
The road starts at a junction with the [[A40 road|A40]] in Haverfordwest and travels northwest to [[St David's]] to switch northeast through [[Fishguard]], [[Cardigan, Ceredigion|Cardigan]], [[Aberaeron]], [[Aberystwyth]], [[Machynlleth]] and [[Corris]].

Through the town of Fishguard, the road width in places is a very narrow single lane, leading to many traffic issues, especially with [[Large goods vehicle|heavy goods vehicles (HGVs)]]. From 2010, articulated HGVs were diverted from the section between Cardigan and Fishguard because of this, and routed instead via the [[A478 road]] to Penblewin, then the A40 to Fishguard via Haverfordwest. However, there were still problems to some extent.<ref>{{cite news|work=Western Telegraph|date=27 June 2010|url=https://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/news/8240629.lower-town-fishguard-still-blighted-by-lorry-chaos/|title=Lower Town, Fishguard, still blighted by lorry chaos|access-date=10 October 2020}}</ref>

The road continues to [[Dolgellau]] [[Concurrency (road)|multiplexing]] with the [[A470 road|A470]] north of the Cross Foxes inn. After Dolgellau, the road continues to multiplex with the A470, re-emerging just north of [[Trawsfynydd]] then passing through [[Penrhyndeudraeth]] and [[Porthmadog]]. The road terminates where it meets the [[Menai Suspension Bridge]] near Bangor.

==History==
The section of road in the Dulas valley between the [[River Dyfi]] near [[Machynlleth]] and Corris was built in the 1840s at the instigation of the local slate quarry owners to replace the old [[turnpike trust|turnpike road]] on the opposite side of the valley. It may have utilised part of the formation of the Roman [[Sarn Helen]]. From 1859, the narrow-gauge [[Corris Railway]] followed the same route.

The site of [[Dolgellau railway station]], along with approximately {{Convert|1.5|mi|km|abbr=on|sp=us}} of [[Track bed|trackbed]] of the [[Ruabon–Barmouth line]], was used to construct the Dolgellau bypass in the late 1970s.

In 1989–90, Cardigan was bypassed south of the town with a new Priory Bridge over the [[River Teifi]] and a short 3-lane section between the bridge and the junction with the A478.

A bypass was opened in 1994 avoiding [[Y Felinheli]] on the section between [[Caernarfon]] and [[Bangor, Wales|Bangor]].

Between Penrhyndeudraeth and Porthmadog, the road passed over a mile-long embankment, known as [[Porthmadog#Landmarks|The Cob]].  Until 2003, drivers had to pay a charge to cross The Cob.<ref>[http://wales.gov.uk/newsroom/environmentandcountryside/2003/4031327/?lang=en&status=closed Assembly abolishes toll on Porthmadog Cob] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330105847/http://wales.gov.uk/newsroom/environmentandcountryside/2003/4031327/?lang=en&status=closed |date=30 March 2012 }} at Welsh Government website, 28 March 2003. Retrieved 2012-10-21.</ref> In 2009, the [[Welsh Assembly Government]] published a [[compulsory purchase order]] to construct the Porthmadog, [[Minffordd]] and [[Tremadog]] bypass, which would reduce the amount of through traffic in the town.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-06-18 |title=2009-55.pdf |url=https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2019-07/2009-55.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240808043605/https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2019-07/2009-55.pdf |archive-date=2024-08-08 |access-date=2025-02-21 |website=Welsh Government}}</ref> Work started on the project in 2010, the route of which passes under the [[Ffestiniog Railway]], and then crosses over the [[Welsh Highland Railway]]. The original route over The Cob was renumbered as the [[A4971 road|A4971]]. The Porthmadog bypass was officially opened on 17 October 2011.<ref>[https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/35m-porthmadog-bypass-officially-opens-1805753 £35m Porthmadog bypass officially opens – seven weeks early], WalesOnline, 17 October 2011</ref>

The section between Porthmadog and [[Llanwnda, Gwynedd|Llanwnda]] has been improved. The new section bypasses [[Llanllyfni]] and [[Penygroes, Gwynedd|Penygroes]], in parts utilizing the old trackbed of the [[Carnarvonshire Railway|Caernarfon to Afon Wen]] railway line. In April 2007, the {{Convert|10|mi|km|abbr=on|sp=us}} new section had to be resurfaced in its entirety after it became apparent that the wrong type of stone had been used for the surface tarmac.

A [[bat bridge]] was built over the [[Groeslon]] bypass in 2010 to guide [[lesser horseshoe bat]]s across the road.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/8487932.stm|title=Road closure for new aerial bat crossing|publisher=BBC News|date=30 January 2010|access-date=5 June 2011}}</ref>

The preferred route for the £100m Caernarfon-Bontnewydd bypass had been announced; Caernarfon from the northern end of the Pen-y-groes bypass to the western end of the Y Felinheli bypass.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/purple-route-100m-caernarfon-bypass-2655631|title='Purple route' for £100m Caernarfon bypass |last1=Williams |first1=Gareth |date=2012-07-05|publisher=Trinity Mirror North West & North Wales Limited |access-date=2016-02-12}}</ref> This bypass was under construction in 2021 and opened 19 February 2022.

In 2018, [[Pembrokeshire County Council]] proposed to build a bypass to the east of [[Newgale, Pembrokeshire|Newgale]] which would replace the road section which was flooded during the [[2013–14 United Kingdom winter floods]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-45641147|title=Newgale A487: £30m new route for storm-ravaged road|date=2018-09-25|publisher=BBC|access-date=2018-09-26}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Trunk roads in Wales]]
*[[Pont ar Dyfi]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{commons category-inline}}

{{GB A road zone 4}}
{{Motorways and Trunk Roads in Wales|state=expanded}}
{{Transport in Pembrokeshire}}
{{Transport in Powys}}
{{Portal bar|Roads|Wales}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:4-0487}}
[[Category:Roads in Ceredigion]]
[[Category:Roads in Pembrokeshire]]
[[Category:Roads in Gwynedd]]