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About the same time, Sir Iain provoked the beginnings of a bilingual policy on road signs. The then County of Invernesshire wished to carry out road improvements to the south of Portree, requiring the purchase of land from Fearann Eilean Iarmain. Sir Iain agreed, on condition that 3 bilingual signs were erected for Broadford, Portree and Viewfield Road. These were An t-Àth Leathann, Port Rìgh and Goirtean na Creige. The last means the arable enclosure of the rock. Its Gaelic name bears no resemblance to the English version. After a long struggle with the Council, signs were eventually erected. Upon local government reorganisation in the 1970s, Comhairle nan Eilean rapidly replaced anglicised road signs with Gaelic renderings - often with no translation supplied.

The Duke of Atholl had attempted something similar on his estate in the early 20th century with partial success as shown by Baile-na-H-eiglas for Kirkton of Lude and Achgobhal for Achgoul (Ó Murchú 1989). Bilingual signs are now commonplace on roads in the Highlands, but less so at the time of writing in the Highland parts of the former Counties of Angus, Perth and Stirling. Where possible Gaelic station names have been introduced throughout the rail network of Scotland. The results of such policies have propelled the language into the mainstream world of maps and mapping.