Aberdeenshire councillors will be asked to give the go-ahead to widening works on the A97 Banff to Aberchirder road to help improve road safety.
In a report prepared by infrastructure chief Stephen Archer, members of the Banff and Buchan area committee will be told that the works will cost more than £78,000.
Mr Archer says: “The period for completion of the works is four weeks and is programmed to be completed by the end of the calendar year, weather dependent.”
The works will cover a 1049ft stretch of road between Mossbank and Castlebrae and be completed by contractors WM Donald Ltd.
A spokeswoman for Aberdeenshire Council said last night that the works would increase the width of the road from 18ft to just under 24ft. At a bend on the road, the width would be increased to 25.9ft.
Area committee chairman councillor John Cox said last night that the works would help improve the safety of drivers using the road.
He said: “I’d welcome the route improvement and any safety measures on that road. It’s a very important link between Banff and Aberchirder.
“All improvements on that road should be welcomed,” he added.
Troup councillor Hamish Partridge agreed, saying: “Road safety improvements are always a good thing”
The widening works are to be completed as part of the local authority’s community wellbeing safety initiative – part of its capital plan for the next 12 years.
Stretching from the Cairngorms through Huntly and to Banff, the A97 is a notoriously dangerous north-east route which has been the scene of several serious accidents over recent months.
In August, a man and a woman were taken to hospital after the lorry they were travelling in overturned on the route between Rhynie and Huntly.
The pair had to be cut free from the vehicle by a fire and rescue crew.
Only days before, five more people were taken to hospital after their car crashed on the A97 near the Bognie Arms Hotel in Forgue.
Emergency crews were called but an ambulance spokesman said that none of the occupants of the car were seriously injured.