Birmingham's Spaghetti Junction turns 50
The junction opened to traffic on May 24th 1972
Last updated 24th May 2022
Motorists and businesses have today paid tribute to the iconic Spaghetti Junction as the road marks 50 years since first opening to traffic.
The junction – known as Gravelly Hill Interchange – carries more than 200,000 vehicles each day.
Originally designed for around 70,000 vehicles per day when the roads were much quieter, the elevated structure, maintained by National Highways, continues to play a major part in helping freight and logistics companies move goods around the country.
The road is used by almost 26,000 lorries every day with more than 31,000 light good vehicles also using the junction and M6 for journeys.
National Highways Customer Services Director, Melanie Clarke, said:
“Spaghetti Junction is a special part of England’s motorway network. It’s something to be proud of in Birmingham because it’s known all around the world – quite rightly – as a feat of engineering.
“When it was designed 50 years ago, nobody could have predicted that Gravelly Hill Interchange would carry around 200,000 vehicles every day.
“As traffic levels have increased, so have our maintenance and safety regimes which play a vital role in helping keep the road safe for the tens of thousands of motorists that use our network every day.
“It’s also incredibly fitting that the 50th anniversary of the road opening coincides with Birmingham this year playing host to the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Spaghetti Junction will be pivotal in helping to connect athletes, sports enthusiasts and tourists with the city during the event.”
Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, said: “Spaghetti Junction has become an iconic Brummie landmark so it’s only right that we celebrate its 50th anniversary.
“At the time of its inception, it was actually considered a real engineering feat. So much so that my grandfather used to take me to visit whilst it was being built.
“Over the years, it has played an important role in enabling goods, people and business to flow in and out of the region and will no doubt continue to do so for many years to come – not least in the year we play host to the Commonwealth Games.”