Telford's Highland roads—a new way of life for Scotland

Abstract

Thomas Telford constructed nearly 1200 km of roads and over 1000 bridges in the Highlands of Scotland for the government in 1803–21. Their purpose was to alleviate the living conditions in the poverty-stricken country by providing immediate work and opening up communications. This paper describes how Telford designed and organised this massive project, including his introduction into Scotland of competitive tendering by private contractors, his standard specification for roads and bridges and the need for immediate maintenance.