A call has been made for a Plan B to be developed over the Norwich Western Link, amid continued uncertainty over the future of the £251m project.
But leaders at Norfolk County Council insist they are confident the government will back the 3.9-mile road and bankroll the bulk of the cost.
The council is still waiting to find out if its business case for the road will be approved by the Department for Transport and if the government will provide 85pc of the bill.
READ MORE: Norwich Western Link key decision delayed due to uncertainty
The uncertainty meant a decision to submit a planning application for the road, to connect the Northern Distributor Road to the A47, was put on hold.
And opposition councillors will, at next week's meeting of the full council, call on the authority to prepare an alternative plan for if the project does not proceed.
Emma Corlett, deputy leader of the Labour group has tabled a motion calling for the authority to look at other measures to relieve rat-running through villages.
She said it was not fair to hold communities like Costessey and Weston Longville "hostage to a road scheme that looks increasingly unviable as well as undesirable".
READ MORE: Norfolk council leaders defend Norwich Western Link costs
But Graham Plant, Conservative cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure, said: "We have submitted a strong outline business case, which clearly sets out the benefits the project will create and demonstrates that it is considered to be a high value for money project.
READ MORE: Western Link road 'would improve ambulance response times'
"We have no reason to think we won’t receive a funding commitment from central government in the near future.
"It’s important we work to progress the project, so we are in the best possible position to move forward as and when we receive a decision.
"It is not necessarily true the cost of the project will go up, this will depend on a number of factors, including the length of delay."
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