In 1989, the A361 North Devon Link Road was built to link Barnstaple with the M5 motorway, some 40 miles (65 km) to the east. Traffic congestion in the town was severe, but in May 2007, the Barnstaple Western Bypass was opened to take traffic towards Braunton and Ilfracombe away from the town centre and ancient bridge. The bypass consists of of new road and a long, five-span bridge. It was expected to have cost £42 million. As part of this, the town's main square was re-modelled as the entrance to the town centre, and The Strand was closed to traffic. The A39, the Atlantic Highway, follows after the A361 to Bideford and to Bude and then further towards Cornwall.