Between the late 1980s and mid-1990s, a dual-carriageway road was constructed in phases connecting Coventry, Sky Blue Way and Nuneaton to provide a more direct link between
Coventry city centre and the
M6 motorway. The town of
Bedworth had already been by-passed during the 1970s and this followed a continuation of this route, the first phase opening in 1990 and the second in 1995. This section of road is now known as
Jimmy Hill Way (formerly Phoenix Way) and was constructed along the course of a disused railway line. The former route of the A444 was then reclassified as part of the
B4113. Initially, there were plans to create a north−south link road through Coventry, extending Phoenix Way south past its current terminus roundabout, as there is a section of dual carriageway that continues as the A46, numbered as the A444 to the south of the city, but such plans were dropped during the construction of the Coventry to Nuneaton section. In
Castle Gresley on 16 June 1995, a 0.8 mile bypass was built to allow traffic to go around the village, without having to go down Mount Pleasant Road, which was previously part of the A444. The bypass is national speed limit, the closest part to
Burton upon Trent which has a crawler lane on the uphill side. In 2020/2021, work has been completed on the
M42/
A42 J11 exit (where the A444 meets), adding traffic lights to the roundabout, as well as work completed on the A444 towards
Burton upon Trent, where the speed limit for part of the road has been reduced to 50 mph. This is to make way for a new development known as Mercia Park, which is utilised by
Jaguar Land Rover and logistics firms. ==Former routes==