Orcadians are being given the chance to grill civil servants on plans to upgrade a section of the A9 in the far north.
Transport Scotland representatives are holding an event in the King Street Halls, Kirkwall on December 15 to discuss plans to revamp the infamous Berriedale Braes in Caithness.
Draft road orders for the scheme were published by the Scottish Government last month
The A9 – used by islanders who travel to the mainland by ferry, drops from 492ft to just 65ft as it enters a steep-sided valley at Berriedale.
Drivers have to contend with 13% gradients and a tight hairpin bend at the bottom of the slope.
The Scottish Government has committed to redesign the main Inverness – Thurso road after a number of serious accidents at the Braes in recent years.
Lorry driver Bruce Cormack, 41, died in September after his HGV left the road at Berriedale – at the south side from the hairpin.
In 2010 a coach carrying 30 members of Orkney Athletic Club to a competition in Inverness crashed at the hairpin and was only just stopped from crashing down an embankment by barriers.
Transport Scotland officials will give a presentation and answer questions about proposals which would see the removal of one of the hairpin bends.
The meeting has been arranged by Orkney Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur to ensure that islanders have an opportunity to hear what is planned and feed in their views.
Concerns have been raised that the proposed improvements do not go far enough to make the road safer.
Mr McArthur said: “The A9 serves as a vital link between Orkney and the rest of the country, so any work on the road is of interest locally.
“However, this improvement scheme is of even greater importance as it was prompted by a crash in May 2010 involving a coach carrying young athletes from Orkney.
“Transport Scotland held a public exhibition in Berriedale last month where locals were able to scrutinise their plans.
“I felt it was important, however, that people in Orkney had an opportunity to do likewise and am grateful to Transport Scotland for taking up my invitation to take part in a meeting in Orkney next week.”
A public consultation on the plans is closing on January 16.