Western Isles Spinal Route
In 1984 more than three kilometres of road were built at a cost of £752,000 at Bornish in South Uist, while another 3.5 kilometres were completed further south at Askernish in 1988-90. Meanwhile work costing £798,000 was also taking place in 1989 to create more than two kilometres of road in north Harris on the approach to the pass near the Clisham mountain and 1991-4 saw extensive road building works on the spinal route in Harris, North Uist and also in Lewis, at Borve and Barvas.
The most recent project costing £750,000 created 1.3 kilometres of new road south from the South Ford causeway into South Uist.
Western Isles Spinal Route
Investment in the Western Isles Spinal route has seen around £14 million spent on major road schemes over the past 15 years alone although there has been a slowdown in work over recent years as money was diverted to the major causeway and bridge projects.
In addition to the main road projects, which have formed about an extra 30 kilometres of high standard double track road through often very difficult terrain, there have been many smaller maintenance schemes to resurface roads, straighten out corners, improve safety standards and so on. The main schemes have been spread throughout the Island chain to try to bring benefits to people all over the Islands.