The M602 is a short urban motorway on the west side of the Manchester conurbation. It is just over 4 miles (just under 7km) in length and connects the M62 towards Liverpool to Manchester City Centre, bypassing the A57 through the City of Salford and the large town of Eccles.
The first section to be completed was the western half, bypassing the large town of Eccles (or more accurately going straight through the middle), connecting to the M62 towards Liverpool. This opened in November 1971. This includes the complicated Eccles Interchange with the M62 and M60 motorways.
The eastern half opened in December 1982, bypassing most of Salford. This section runs adjacent to the original Liverpool and Manchester railway, one of the oldest railways in the world.
There was a further development planned, but which was never built. The M602 was to be extended to meet the A57(M) Mancunian Way. Had this, and the planned M67 extension been built - there would have been a motorway route from east to west right across the Manchester conurbation.