Consider route taken as read (5)
I believe the answer is:
weigh
'consider' is the definition.
(as in weighing something up)
'route taken as read' is the wordplay.
'route taken' becomes 'way' (way can mean a route or path).
'as read' indicates a 'sounds like' (homophone) clue (as it might sound when read aloud).
'way' sounds like 'WEIGH'.
(Other definitions for weigh that I've seen before include "Have influence" , "Measure heaviness" , "Determine heaviness" , "Bear down oppressively" , "Tip the scales at" .)