The Cullivoe Road Improvement Contract is a £13.3 million project by the Shetland Islands Council to construct a new, two-lane 4.5 km section of the B9082 between Gutcher and Cullivoe in Yell. The civil works are carried out by CW Johnson Plant Ltd, while the council handles road surfacing in-house.

The project replaces an 1851 single-track route with a 6.8-metre wide, two-lane carriageway to improve safety and support the aquaculture and fishing industries at Cullivoe Pier

Key details of the construction and contract include:

• Current Status: Construction is actively underway. Initial works, including the establishment of a site compound at Cullivoe Pier and the diversion of water mains and overhead power lines, have been completed.
• Design & Alignment: The new route is built off the existing road’s alignment, minimizing disruption to drivers. It involves a substantial area of peat restoration alongside the earthworks.
• Project Scope: The civil works contract awarded to CW Johnson Plant Ltd includes road infrastructure, drainage, landscaping, and fencing. Surfacing of the road will be covered separately by the council’s internal roads team using existing budgets.