A9 in Caithness and Sutherland set for series of overnight closures next month
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The A9 is set to be closed in several locations in Caithness and Sutherland next month as works are carried out to improve the road surface.
The closures are scheduled to take place between 7pm and 6am on various dates in May, with hourly “amnesty periods” to allow traffic to pass through the work sites.
Transport Scotland said it was investing a total of £185,000 in what it called essential surfacing improvements on the trunk road north of Inverness.
The works will be carried out by BEAR Scotland, Transport Scotland’s trunk road operator, north of Brora at Achrimsdale, at Dunbeath and at Georgemas Junction.
Ian Stewart, BEAR Scotland’s north-west representative, said: “These resurfacing projects on the A9 are essential to address the defects that develop over time due to wear and tear.
“The overnight closures are essential for safety but we’ve taken steps to limit the overall impact of the project by carrying out the work overnight and by providing amnesty periods.
“Our teams will do all they can to complete the works as quickly and safely as they can, and we thank the local community and road users for their patience in advance while we complete these works.”
The works south of Achrimsdale will start on Sunday, May 19, with a full road closure between 7pm and 6am, and are scheduled to be complete by 6am on Thursday, May 23.
At Dunbeath, works will begin on Tuesday, May 21, with an expected finish time of 6am on Thursday, May 23.
Works will take place at Georgemas Junction from Monday, May 20 to Thursday, May 23.
The amnesty periods will run from 8pm to 4am on the affected nights and drivers are asked to arrive in good time to guarantee access. Outside of working hours, the road will be open with a reduced speed limit of 30mph due to the temporary road surface. Emergency vehicle access will be maintained at all times.
The completion times are subject to weather conditions being favourable.
Mr Stewart added: “We encourage motorists to plan ahead before setting out by checking the Traffic Scotland website for up-to-date travel information.”
