A new video reveals for the first time how Perth will be transformed by £35 million worth of roadworks.
The much heralded A9/A85 junction will unlock land for thousands of homes, creating new businesses and jobs and triggering an estimated £500 million boost to the local economy.
Construction, which began in October, has reached another crucial stage with work set to begin on a new reinforced concrete underpass.
Perth and Kinross Council has released a computer-generated clip, which shows how the area will look once work has been completed.
It is hoped the video will offer locals an insight into the work and help make sense of the highly complex three-year operation.
The fly-through shows the new road passing McDiarmid Stadium – controversially cutting through woodland near Perth Crematorium – and running west towards Ruthvenfield, with a new crossing over the River Almond.
The new road will link up with Bertha Park, which is earmarked for more than 1,000 homes and a new secondary school.
Council leader Ian Miller, who praised the fly-through video, has described the work as an “important milestone” in the economic and physical growth of the city.
He said: “This is a hugely significant project, which will bring benefits for both local and through traffic, improve air quality in the city and unlock land for business and housing development.”
A council spokesman said that work by contractors Balfour Beatty was progressing well and scheduled to be completed about two years from now.
“A contraflow system has been installed on the A9 to allow construction of a new reinforced concrete underpass to carry the re-aligned Perth Lade under the A9, with the structure being built in two halves to maintain traffic flows on the A9,” he said.
“To minimise disruption to road users, large elements of the structure were pre-fabricated in advance of the contraflow being installed.
“This work is scheduled to be completed between March and June 2017.”
He said: “Works have been, and will continue to be, publicised via signage on the existing road network, through social media channels and the project website.”
The Perth Transport Futures Project has four phases which will ultimately include the development of the Cross Tay Link Road.
Entrepreneur Simon Howie has revealed that he is investing £15 million in a major expansion at Inveralmond Trade Park. He has acquired 17 acres for the work, which he said was only possibly because of the new A9/A85 junction and link road.
