Elizabeth Way
An inner ring-road route on the A1134, crossing the Cam by a concrete bridge opened in 1971.
Elizabeth Way is a road in north-east Cambridge, designated the A1134, and part of the city's inner ring road. A roundabout at the northern end joins it to Milton Road. A second roundabout near that end links to Chesterton Road, and a third at the southern end connects with the A603 at East Road and with Newmarket Road, which leads east out of the city. Houses along the road are mainly terraced and semi-detached.
The bridge
Until 1890 the only crossing from Chesterton into Cambridge was Magdalene Bridge. Victoria Avenue Bridge was the first of two new crossings made possible by an Act of 1889. Chesterton joined the city in 1911 and a second bridge was promised by 1917, but the First World War put paid to that. A 1950 report called for one as a matter of urgency, and Elizabeth Way Bridge, a plain four-carriageway concrete structure, finally opened on 13 July 1971 along the route proposed in 1950. It is reckoned to be the most recent road bridge built in Cambridge. The northern bank holds a private marina and apartment blocks called The Eights, and Midsummer Common lies on the western side.
Name and fair
The northern stretch in Chesterton was once Haig Road and Cam Road, before the bridge joined it to the city. The road takes its modern name from Queen Elizabeth II. Midsummer Fair, a travelling funfair, was granted in 1211 and is held on Midsummer Common in June.
Sources: Wikipedia: Elizabeth Way · Wikidata: Elizabeth Way (Q5363701)