The £3 billion project to dual Scotland’s most dangerous road has taken a step nearer reality.
The Scottish Government has announced that it will make a treacherous six-mile stretch of the A9 in Perthshire one of its first priorities.
Its dualling of the road in its entirety between Perth and Inverness by 2025 is one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Scotland’s history.
Works on the Kincraig to Dalraddy section, south of Aviemore, are expected to get under way in two years’ time and it has now been revealed that improvements to the road in Perthshire will begin in 2015.
They will begin between Luncarty and the Pass of Birnam a section of the A9 that has seen 24 accidents in the past four years, resulting in two fatalities.
Almost 80 people have lost their lives on the road in the past six years and it had the highest or joint highest fatality rate of all roads in Scotland in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010.
Tenders are being sought for ground investigations between Luncarty and Pass of Birnam in order to inform the detailed design work for this section of the A9.
Ground investigations works are expected to start in spring next year, paving the way for construction to start in 2017.
Transport Minister Keith Brown said: ”Starting procurement for the ground investigation work for the Luncarty-Pass of Birnam section marks real progress towards our commitment of a fully dualled A9 by 2025.
”The A9 is the backbone of Scotland’s road network and we are the first government to commit to dualling it.
”Our £3 billion programme of major improvements will deliver significant economic benefits to road users, businesses, communities and industry who live along or use the route.
”While that programme is complex and challenging, ground investigations such as these underpin the careful in-depth planning and design for the biggest infrastructure project in Scotland’s history.
”The dualling programme will enhance safety and journey time reliability on the A9 improving connections between Perth and Inverness.”
The ground investigations, with an estimated cost range of £800,000 to £1.2 million, will support the detailed design for this stretch of the road between Luncarty and Pass of Birnam.
Construction is expected to start in 2017.
Transport Scotland intends to engage with affected communities and businesses through a programme of consultation.
Public exhibitions will be held in early December in venues along the route to ensure that communities are fully aware of what the work entails.
The A9 is the longest trunk road in Scotland and the seven individual sections to be dualled total around 80 miles.
This is 16 times the length of the M74 completion and eight times the length of the M80 between Stepps and Haggs.
Each section represents a major project in its own right, requiring in-depth planning and design.