The case for building a new bridge in Great Yarmouth to relieve traffic is almost ready to be presented to government.
After years in the planning, a decision on whether a third river crossing should receive further funding will be made by the Department for Transport (DfT) in the summer, once the business case has been submitted by Norfolk County Council.
Building work could begin in the winter of 2020 and is scheduled to take two years to build with the total cost of the scheme estimated to be £120m.
MORE: Funding boost of £1m for third river crossing in Great YarmouthThe county council's Economic Development and Transport Committee will be updated on Friday with a report which states that good infrastructure is one of the county's priorities.
It continues: 'A new river crossing at Great Yarmouth will help us meet this priority. It offers a direct route into the town from the south, provides the link between the trunk road network and the expanding port and the South Denes Enterprise Zone sites, and overcomes the problem of limited road access to the peninsula of Great Yarmouth.
'The Third River Crossing is vital to the economic prosperity of Great Yarmouth. Great Yarmouth is part of a larger economic sub-region with a strong economic heritage including manufacturing, food and drink processing, tourism and leisure industries.'
The county council adopted a preferred scheme for the Great Yarmouth Third River Crossing in 2009, comprising a lifting bridge over the River Yare to connect the A47 at the Harfreys Roundabout, to the port and South Denes.
MORE: Public's views sought on Great Yarmouth third river crossingIn its Budget last year, the government announced a funding stream for the development of major local transport schemes.
Subsequently a successful bid for just over £1m was used to fund the development of a business case and to draw up engineering plans.
This opened the way to securing further government funding for the later stages of work to obtain planning permission and carry out more detailed design, and then for construction.
A local contribution of 20pc is recommended, in line with the scheme in Lowestoft for a third crossing over Lake Lothing, which has already been approved by the DfT.
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