Work to improve the approaches to one of the busiest roundabouts in Inverness will be carried out in the Spring.
Highland Council is taking the action at Inshes Roundabout as it awaits a final decision from Transport Scotland on a major overhaul of the junction as part of multimillion pound plans to link the A9 to the A96.
The local authority previously unveiled plans to widen Culloden Road and Sir Walter Scott Drive by around 10ft to create extra lanes as they approach Inshes Roundabout, which has to cope with traffic from six routes.
Council officials have now confirmed that the work will start in spring.
On an advert seeking contractors, the council stated that the area was “highly traffic sensitive” and that “traffic control will be restricted to outwith peak periods”.
Inverness South councillor Ken Gowans said: “Highland Council is waiting on Transport Scotland to determine which plan they are going to use to link the A96 and A9, but we really can’t wait.
“There’s so much development in that area – we have the retail park, which is becoming increasingly popular, we have Raigmore just down the road, the potential for the West Link and the new campus. All points lead to Inshes Roundabout.
“What we’re trying to do in the short-term is increase the road lanes leading into the roundabout from the southern distributor road and extend them on the Culloden Road.
“But we need to get clarity from Transport Scotland. We need to get them to make a decision.”
In June, Scottish ministers selected two options from the A9/A96 connectivity study, and Transport Scotland has now moved to the design stage.
The proposals have been on the drawing board for years, but the most recent designs unveiled showed a single carriageway distributor road through fields at Inshes – rather than the expected dual carriageway.
The plans also include a new flyover for the A9 Inverness-Perth road at the Longman Roundabout.
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “The A9/A96 Connections Study looked at the problems, opportunities and issues concerning traffic travelling between Inshes, Raigmore and Longman junctions to develop a potential solution to the congestion and journey time reliability issues that exist at these key junctions.
“The report, which is also reviewing the recently adopted Highland Council land-use and transport proposal, is due to be published in the coming weeks.
“We recognise the importance of the linkage between the A9/A96 and the Highland Council improvements to Inshes Roundabout, and we are working with them to progress both projects.”
Ends