The road is almost entirely single carriageway, apart from in central Carlisle, where it passes the castle as a busy dual carriageway road named Castle Way, and prior to that as Bridge Street and Church Street, where it passes close to the McVities biscuit factory.
The new road would be of single carriageway standard, with a number of roundabout junctions, as well as a new bridge over the River Eden.
From the junction with the A596road at Lillyhall to Parton, an upgrade of the A595 has been proposed.