Frustration at the slow pace of redesigning one of the most notorious stretches of the A9 has sparked a political row.
A prominent Liberal Democrat councillor has blamed the SNP Government, which in turn has condemned a past Holyrood administration which included the LibDems.
Local councillor Jamie Stone, a former MSP, has accused the Scottish Government of failing to fund long-promised improvements to the A9 at the twisty Berriedale Braes in Caithness.
Mr Stone said: “The Almighty made our Highland geography.
“Sparsity of population, the challenges presented by sheer distance, the additional cost of delivering vital services and inclement winter weather make us very different to other parts of Scotland.
“The Scottish Government should recognise this when they allocate annual funding to councils.
“Instead, they have announced a reduction in our funding this year – one that will force us to make tens of millions of pounds of cuts to vital council services, which will hit some of our most vulnerable citizens.”
He added that the grant reduction “betrays a deplorable failure to take on board the special needs of our vast and remote area” by not including funding for improving the A9.
Mr Stone said: “The present, completely unacceptable, hairpin bends at that part of the A9 are a tourniquet to a vital lifeline to the far north.
“This week’s announcement is a real let-down for the far north – something the council sees all too clearly as we debate the fact that we are being wretchedly shortchanged.”
A spokesman for Transport Minister Derek MacKay said: “This is typical double standards from the LibDems who were in charge of transport in the previous Labour/LibDem executive and failed to deliver for Highland roads.
“Since last year, Transport Scotland and other agencies have been working hard to progress the Berriedale Braes improvement scheme.
“However, as one statutory objector remains, a public inquiry has had to be arranged.
“The Scottish Government remains committed to delivering the A9 Berriedale Braes project.
“But the cut in Scotland’s capital budget by a Tory government the LibDems helped put in place means awaiting suitable funding becoming available to progress it further.”