New aerial drone footage has revealed the full extent of progress on the long-awaited Haudagain roundabout improvement scheme.
The roundabout has been one of the north-east’s most notorious bottlenecks for years, and is frequently the site of heavy traffic congestion.
A £50 million revamp of the interchange, where the A92 Stonehaven to Blackdog and A96 Aberdeen to Inverness roads meet, is currently well underway.
More than 130 properties have been demolished to make way for the improvements.
However, the works have faced numerous significant delays.
When’s it going to open to traffic?
Previously, it was hoped that the new Haudagain bypass, a new road linking North Anderson Drive to Auchmill Road, would be opened by the end of winter.
However, Transport Scotland said due to “pandemic impacts, supply chain issues and recent storms”, timescales for the project have been pushed back.
The Scottish Government’s Minister for Transport Graeme Dey said construction of the improvement project is “well advanced and remains within budget”.
Mr Dey said: “The latest information from our contractor now indicates an anticipated date for completion of works allowing roads to be open to traffic by the end of March 2022.
“I understand the completion of this project is keenly anticipated by local people, not least to lessen the impacts from its construction.
“I’d like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding to date and assure them Transport Scotland continues to engage with the contractor as they work to finish the work as quickly and safely as possible.”
Mr Dey said once complete, the new and improved Haudagain area will bring about “reduced congestion, a safer route for pedestrians and cyclists as well as improved journey time reliability”.