The Scottish Government wants to use compulsory purchase orders for areas of land beside the A9 Inverness to Thurso road in preparation for work to alleviate flooding.
The orders relate to 10 plots beside a stretch of the road at Portgower Mill Bridge, near Helmsdale.
The work will alleviate an ongoing drainage problem during heavy downpours.
But a retired teacher from Sutherland claims that work associated with a previous compulsory purchase order in the same area has still not been carried out – more than 40 years after the order was made.
Margot MacGregor, of Gartymore, Portgower, has been battling for a number of years to have a drainage problem rectified. Part of her land is included in the compulsory purchase orders.
In 2006, Miss MacGregor suffered flooding in her home and the waters also caused railway tracks to be swept away.
Miss MacGregor said she had seen the plans and hoped to speak to a representative from Transport Scotland as it appeared the acquisition of part of her property might deny her access to her home.
She believes the other parts of land to be acquired are part of the Sutherland Estate.
She said: “This has been a long and hard slog to get Transport Scotland to move and I have had great support from John Thurso, the local MP.
“My father bought the land when the only vehicles that used the road were horse-drawn carts.
“After my house was flooded in 2006 the drainage problem was supposed to be fixed but I kept being told there was no money available.
“I hope it doesn’t take as long to fix the culvert as it has taken to widen the road. They acquired some of my land to widen the road in 1971 and the work still hasn’t been done.
Highland councillor for East Sutherland, Iain Ross, said he and others had been campaigning for a number of years and had discussed the issues with Transport Scotland.
Mr Ross said: “They needed to get some additional land to fix the problem so, hopefully, this will see an end to the flooding.
“There are three small culvert drains and they become blocked during heavy rain, causing flooding.”
The government is looking to purchase plots at Gartymore, Garbh Allt Burn and along Gartymore Road at its junction with the A9.
The plans will be on display at the Brora Cultural Centre in Gower Street and at the library and service point at Helmsdale community centre. Objections must be submitted by June 30.
A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said: “This compulsory purchase order is part of our preparatory work for a bridge improvement scheme that will replace the existing twin culvert with a bridge, subject to available funding and competing priorities.”