Elizabeth Way, Cambridge facts for kids
Elizabeth Way is an important road in the northeast part of Cambridge, England. It's known as the A1134 and is part of Cambridge's inner ring road. A ring road helps traffic go around a city instead of through its busy center.
At its northern end, Elizabeth Way meets Milton Road at a roundabout. This roundabout helps cars go in different directions. Further south, another roundabout connects to Chesterton Road. At the very southern end, a third roundabout links to East Road and Newmarket Road.
Near the southern end, there used to be a campus for Cambridge Regional College. This college helps students continue their education after high school. Before the college, it was a school. Now, new homes are being built on this site. The houses along Elizabeth Way are mostly terraced (joined together in a row) and semi-detached (two houses joined together).
A famous event called the Midsummer Fair has been held since 1211. It takes place every June on Midsummer Common, which is close to Elizabeth Way. Today, it's a fun travelling funfair with rides and games.
The northern part of this road, in an area called Chesterton, used to have different names like Haig Road and Cam Road. It was later connected across the River Cam by the Elizabeth Way Bridge. The road is named after Queen Elizabeth II.
Elizabeth Way Bridge
The Elizabeth Way Bridge is a key part of Elizabeth Way. It crosses the River Cam just north of the Newmarket Road roundabout. To the west of the bridge is Midsummer Common.
For a long time, Chesterton was not officially part of Cambridge. It was hard to get into the city from Chesterton because the River Cam was in the way. Until 1890, the only bridge connecting Chesterton to Cambridge was Magdalene Bridge (also called the "Great Bridge").
In 1889, a law called the Cam Bridges Act allowed two new bridges to be built. The first, Victoria Bridge, opened in 1890 on Victoria Avenue.
In 1911, Chesterton became part of Cambridge, and a new bridge was promised by 1917. However, World War I started, and the bridge wasn't built. In 1950, a report said that a second bridge in Chesterton was urgently needed. Finally, in 1971, the Elizabeth Way Bridge opened. It followed the route suggested in the 1950 report.
The bridge is a simple concrete bridge with four lanes for traffic. It was officially opened on July 13, 1971, by Rab Butler, who was the High Steward of Cambridge at the time. This bridge is still the newest road bridge built in Cambridge. It is now one of the main bridges for cars crossing the River Cam in the city.
On the northern bank of the Cam, to the west of the bridge, you can find The Eights. This is a private marina where boats are kept, along with apartment buildings.
