An accident blackspot junction in Inverness is in line for improvements.
The junction of Barn Church Road and Tower Road in Culloden has been the site of accidents in the hold-ups in the past because vehicles cannot filter past those that are turning right up Tower Road.
The carriageway will now be widened to create a right-turn only lane for traffic coming from the A96 Inverness-Aberdeen road.
The £250,000 Highland Council-backed scheme will also involve traffic light adjustments as well as painting new signs on the road surface.
At present cars travelling from the A96 are held up by vehicles at the front of the queue waiting for traffic flowing in the opposite direction to pass before turning.
The right-turning cars are already through the traffic lights when sitting stationary and motorists directly behind them often come unstuck when trying to slip past while the lights are still green.
Risk is further heightened by right-turning traffic cutting in front of oncoming cars in a bid to get clear of cars building up behind.
David McGrath, chairman of Culloden and Smithton Community Council, said: “We are delighted they are doing it but it’s been long overdue and we are a bit annoyed that we have not been consulted on this.
“It’s been an accident blackspot for years. It will make a terrific difference if they get the junction and traffic lights sequencing correctly to allow the right turning traffic to clear the junction and it will nurse traffic flow and should hopefully eradicate the accidents.”
Mike Stephens, principle contracts engineer at Highland Council, said: “It has been a site of concern because there have been a number of accidents at that location.
“The work is being done to improve the movement of traffic through the junction.”
Tenders for the roadworks are being sought with a February 6 deadline. A contract will likely be awarded on March 16, with the works expected to commence soon after.