Scottish Government transport minister Humza Yousaf has hailed a “major milestone” in a multimillion-pound infrastructure improvement project aimed at relieving pressure on a notorious Aberdeen bottleneck.
An £18million contract has been advertised for the construction industry to bid for the massive Haudagain bypass.
The project involves the construction of approximately 500 metres of new dual carriageway connecting the A90 North Anderson Drive and the A96 Auchmill Road.
As well as reducing congestion and improving journey time reliability, this project aims to bring about an improvement in road safety and provide new pedestrian and cycling routes through the local area.
A 2008 government report identified a link road through Middlefield as the best way of resolving the pressure around the well-used route.
Studies have estimated the hold-ups it causes, where the A90 and A96 meet, have cost the region’s economy up to £30million a year.
The project is designed to fit in with the Aberdeen bypass and other traffic-calming measures in the city like the Third Don Crossing and Berryden Corridor
Minister for transport and islands, Mr Yousaf said: “Today marks a major milestone in delivering relief for drivers and communities across the north-east.
“Starting procurement on this much-needed improvement highlights the Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling the bottleneck at Hauadagain roundabout and will ensure that we are ready to hit the ground running as soon as the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route is open to traffic.
“Completion of the AWPR will take traffic away from the streets of Aberdeen and improve air quality to some 75,000 houses.
“That, coupled with the removal of the bottleneck roundabout at Haudagain, will deliver improved journey times for strategic and local traffic, bringing much needed relief to road users and communities in the north-east.”
The construction value of the A90/96 Haudagain Improvements contract is currently estimated at approximately £18m.
An advance site preparation works contract will also be procured in the coming months with work due to commence early in 2018 in advance of the main works.