Motorists are being urged to prepare for a major resurfacing project is due to get under way on a key A9 bridge.
The £300,000 scheme will see almost the entire length of the Cromarty Bridge resurfaced over a four week period.
Work is due to start tomorrow evening and will be carried out by Bear Scotland.
The bridge carries the A9 Inverness to Thurso road across the Cromarty Firth.
The roads agency say that the improvements will involve laying a high performance road surface, designed to make the bridge smoother for motorists and more resilient to harsh conditions experienced on the exposed crossing.
Resurfacing will take place from 7pm until 7am each night, working on Sunday nights to Friday mornings.
No works will take place on the busier Friday or Saturday nights.
Temporary traffic lights will be in place overnight on the bridge during working hours only.
These will be removed during the daytime and at weekends to limit the impact to traffic.
The £300,000 surfacing improvements are taking place ahead of future refurbishments planned for four of the bridge spans on the bridge, set to get underway later this year.
The major structural project was due to begin in April but was pushed back.
It is expected to take around six months once it has begun.
The remaining section of the bridge will be resurfaced once this work has been carried out, meaning the almost entire mile long span of the bridge will have been upgraded.
Eddie Ross, Bear Scotland’s north west representative, said: “The investment of £300,000 will allow us to keep the A9 Cromarty Bridge operating safely for motorists for years to come while the future refurbishment works are completed.
“We have taken steps to avoid impacting motorists by completing the works at night and avoiding working on Friday and Saturday nights. We thank motorists in advance for their patience while the resurfacing improvements are completed.”
