BEAR Scotland is set to significantly upgrade access and safety for pedestrians around two north villages starting next week.
The £75,000 investment will see improvements to and the construction of new footways on the way from Latheronwheel to nearby Latheron along the A9.
The first phase of the work is planned to start on Monday February 19 and will last for around six weeks with temporary traffic lights in place to protect workers and road users.
Phase Two will involve extending the existing southbound footway at Latheronwheel further south and is likely to begin in the spring.
Apart from the footways, new drainage and road signs will be installed to help improve safety on what is a winding section of the A9.
Highland Councillor Andrew Sinclair said: “I’m delighted to hear that BEAR Scotland is investing a significant amount of money in improving stretches of the A9 in Caithness.”
He said: “The proposals at Latheronwheel should greatly improve road safety for pedestrians walking alongside this fast stretch of trunk road.”
Mr Sinclair noted the danger posed by “waterlogged roadsides” and that “Latheronwheel can be a particularly bad spot for standing water.”
He said: “I’m particularly pleased that work is going to be done to improve the drainage on the roadside. Hopefully the improvements will go some way to alleviating this problem.”
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative, said: “Trunk road safety is a top priority at BEAR, and we’re pleased to begin works to improve access for pedestrians on the A9 at Latheronwheel.
“We’re constructing sections of new footway and also resurfacing sections of the existing footway as well as installing additional signage to further improve safety in the area.”
He added: “The traffic management arrangements are essential for the protection of both our workforce as well as motorists.”