Consultation is still ongoing over plans to dual the A9 north of Dunkeld.
Transport Scotland is undertaking an assessment of the route in a bid to decide how to take the proposals forward. Several options are being considered for the area between Dalguise and Ballinluig.
These proposals were unveiled in a letter to Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser after he sought clarification on the planned works.
Chief executive of Transport Scotland David Middleton gave assurances that the group was conducting investigations to determine the best option.
He wrote: “It is our intention to develop the route options between the Tay Crossing and Ballinluig over the coming months to enable us to assess these further and consult with landowners and communities.
“A series of public exhibitions is also planned for spring 2014 and we continue to engage with the communities directly through an ongoing series of community forums, addressing their concerns face to face.
“We anticipate that completion of the current design and assessment work, including taking account of feedback from the consultations, is likely to allow us to identify a preferred corridor at that time.
“If it is not possible to identify a preferred corridor at that stage, then further work would be undertaken when design consultants are appointed in spring 2014 to take forward the more detailed work for the next stages of the dualling programme.”
Mr Middleton also confirmed that the route between Birnam and the Tay Crossing at Dalguise would follow the existing A9 carriageway.
The update has been welcomed by Mr Fraser.
He said: “It’s important that residents in the communities alongside the A9 are kept informed as to the route of the new dualled road.
“Construction of the route will be complicated and Transport Scotland must ensure that residents are inconvenienced as little as possible.”