Major improvements to pedestrian and cyclist safety on a section of the A9 in Perthshire are due to get underway next week.
The £200,000 project involves the widening the existing footway on the north side of the A9 south of Perth from the old access to Gleneagles Railway Station to the A824 Auchterarder junction.
The move has come after a campaignt for a permanent footbridge over the road failed.
A temporary bridge built during the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles had proved a hit with locals.
Around 1,500 people signed a petition calling demanding the new bridge be built but transport authorities decided after assessing a “range of options,” to make footpath improvments instead.
Their preferred option will see the footway along the northbound verge widened, as well as the installation of new pedestrian-activated warning signs on both approaches to the crossing.
A small number of works have already begun on site during off-peak hours, with traffic management being removed each day.
The next phase of the project will begin on Monday and is set to last five weeks.
For the safety of road workers as well as motorists, one northbound lane of the A9 will be closed from Monday for two weeks, followed by intermittent periods of off-peak temporary lane closures in each direction of the dual carriageway as the works progress.
Yesterday, Andy Thompson, BEAR Scotland’s north-east representative, said: “These installations will improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists in the area and forms part of a network-wide strategy to encourage walking and cycling.
“Whilst no significant delays are expected, we will look to do all we can to keep disruption to a minimum during these footway improvements and advise motorists to plan ahead by checking the Traffic Scotland website for up-to-date travel information before their journey.”
The move follows on from the £7m upgrade of Gleneagles Railway Station, which was completed in time for the 2014 Ryder Cup.
Real-time journey planning information can be obtained by visiting www.trafficscotland.org or Twitter @trafficscotland.