M66 motorway
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| Route information | |
| Length: | 8.0 mi (12.9 km) |
| Existed: | 1975 – present |
| History: | Constructed 1975–78 |
| Major junctions | |
| North end: | Edenfield |
 M60 motorway  M62 motorway |
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| South end: | Whitefield |
| Location | |
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Primary destinations: |
Bury |
| Road network | |
The M66 is a motorway in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England. It is 8 miles (13 km) long and provides part of the route between the M62 and M60 motorways and the M65, with the rest being provided by the A56.
The M66 starts at the Simister Island, and heads north as a continuation of the M60 as a 3 lane dual carriageway. It passes the eastern edge of Whitefield, through junction 3, goes underneath the East Lancashire Railway and enters the suburbs of Bury. It reduces to 2 lanes at junction 2 and then climbs onto an elevated section, passing through a post war housing estate. At the end of the elevated road a third climbing lane is added to the summit of the hill. The road then runs to the east of Ramsbottom and the East Lancashire Railway and ends near Edenfield.
In 1949 a report, the Road Plan for Lancashire, proposed the construction of Route 9 which would link north east Manchester with Burnley and Blackburn via Route 8. Originally planned to be an all purpose road. the route was redesignated as a motorway prior to construction. The first section (the so-called Middleton Link) was opened in 1971. On the Department for Transport's 2002 Roads List this link is listed as the M68. Construction then began on the southern section of the Bury bypass (Junctions 4 to 3) in February 1973 with this opening in August 1975. Immediately after construction began on the northern section (junctions 3 to terminus) with this opening in 1978.
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