A key phase of work on the newest bridge over the River Ness is due to be completed by the end of this week.
Welding on the West Link bridge is set to finish – meaning the focus can soon switch to pouring the concrete which will make up the deck of the crossing.
Colin Howell, Highland Council’s head of infrastructure updated on progress – saying overall the project is on schedule.
Work on the main stretches of the road is now “90% complete” with only the top layers of the road to be laid.
This will be done towards the end of the construction period to avoid causing damage to the road as work progresses.
Work is also progressing on several projects around the West Link, including building a new rugby clubhouse and the new Torvean Golf Course.
The current welding on the bridge follows a number of giant steel beams being lifted into place earlier this year by one of the largest cranes in the country.
Mr Howell said: “Once we have the bridge up to full strength as it were, we can start putting on some of the heavier concrete and start to build up the bridge deck.”
He said he was also pleased with work on the rest of the road which just requires the final layers – while work is also ongoing to reinstate the area where the huge crane was housed earlier this year.
A key future stage of the works will happen in July when workers are allowed to return to the river to tidy up the steel piles put in place as dams around the bridge.
Mr Howell said the relatively benign winter had helped progress stay on track.
He said: “We’ve been very lucky. We identify the weather as a risk but it’s not something we can do very much about.”
The West Link is due for completion by 2020.
The fixed bridge over the River Ness and a swing bridge over the Caledonian Canal will eventually link the A82 with the southern distributor road.
The road is expected to help ease congestion in the city centre and open up new land for housing development.
