Motorists can now enjoy a much quicker journey from Campbeltown and Lochgilphead to Oban as a new emergency route was opened at Kintraw near Ardfern.
The detour, which bypasses the original route, was opened under convey on Saturday after the A816 was closed by a huge landslide on Saturday October 7.
This was caused by a significant amount of heavy rainfall, with Argyll and Bute Council and its contractors having removed 15,000 tonnes of debris to date, which had fallen on a 200-metre stretch of the road.
An initial landslide had stopped a car and a pick-up from driving up the Bealach, before a second slide sent the vehicles’ four occupants running for their lives.
An Argyll and Bute Council statement said: “We want what our communities want – to move on as quickly as possible from the effects of October’s extreme weather.
“Great news – the emergency road opened, under convoy, on December 16.
We are continuing to clear the existing A816 road. We have now removed over 15,000 tonnes of debris and are constructing a bund to offer additional protection.”
Despite, the reopening of the road, the council has informed parents that school transport will remain the same for the last week of term before the festive holidays to “maintain consistency”.
This means that pupils will continue to be transported between Ardfern and Crinan Harbour by a passenger RIB service by Venture West until the last day of term on Thursday.
The current 425 and 426 bus services between Achnamara-Tayvallich-Crinan will also continue to operate to the same timetable.
However, the 423 service will be reinstated to the same route that it operated to before the landslide, but there will be no changes to pick up and drop off times for pupils using this service.
Motorists from Mid Argyll and Oban took to social media to praise those involved in the mammoth efforts to reconnect the surrounding communities, with the original target of opening the new route in mid November proving too optimistic.
Julie Bennett said: “Well done to those working on it, lifeline road to locals.”
Ian Wilkes added: “Well done guys, you’ve done a fantastic job. I’m sure everyone appreciates your hard work, I know I do.”