[Significant improvements and additions to Tomatin Spinal path are in the final stages of preparation. Work will begin shortly in combination with much requested traffic calming measures. Detailed construction plans for each stage of the work are available in the Document Library (Strathdearn Community Development > Projects > Paths). They contain a huge amount of information, probably the answers to all your questions, but they are not easy to follow for the layman. Maureen McDonald-Cooke has provided the following overview.  Click the links to view specific relevant documents.]
 
SCD are delighted to announce the forthcoming programme for the construction of Section 7 and 8 of the path’s networks, in conjunction with Safer Routes to School and The Environment, Infrastructure & Economy section of The Highland Council.
 
Whilst this project has been in the pipeline for a long time, 2021 provided an opportunity to bring all these elements together of a complex project to the deliverable stage in the first quarter of  2022.
 
Our collaboration with The Highland Council, and Safer Routes to School funding has meant we have been able to maximise this opportunity of not only providing in part a safer walking/cycling route for our community, but achieved an area of speed reduction, and traffic calming measures as part of the package.
 
The appointed Contractor is Wills Bros, who I am sure you are aware are already working at the Distillery end as part of the advanced A9 dualling works.
 
The plans are available via Strathdearn Community Website Document Library. We have tried to put some context around each section to help people visualise the changes, but in some cases, we only have engineering drawings.

The programme is as follows:

  • Commencement date 7th March 2022 (weather dependent). 
  • Works will start at the bottom of Station Rd by the Viaduct (traffic calming measures) which makes sense to slow the traffic down into the village for the main paths to be constructed providing safety for the public and the road workers – Plan illustration A.
  • Plan Illustration B details the gateway speed reduction from North to South on the approach to the Viaduct  ( 1 of 2 traffic calming measures)
  • The works will then be picked up from the end of the existing path at the top of Old Mill Rd junction, cross over to the east side, and continue just prior to Pine Cottage – Plan illustration C.
  • The 2nd traffic calming measure is detailed in Plan Illustration D which is near the bridge over Allt Neacrath, and then the path/walkway continues from Pine Cottage all the way down to just past The Strathdearn, where there is a crossing, to the west side of the road – Plan Illustration E. The path is picked up on the west side of the road and runs all the way along until the bottom of Juniper Drive – Plan Illustration F.
We appreciate, and ask for patience as this will cause for a short time disruption to the residents affected, and general movement traveling through the village
 
SCD would also like to take this opportunity to thank the private landowner involved in the project for their co-operation and valuable input, the Highland Council and Safer Routes to School, without whose positive collaboration this project would not be possible.
 
If you have any questions, please do get in touch at edit@strathdearn.org.