The new Causeway will cost up to $90 million but most of this will be funded by private developers.

Government has announced it is to push ahead with a replacement bridge, and will seek a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to pay for it.

The move was announced in the Budget on Friday, with the Ministry of Works and Engineering's Structures Section to "progress the required geotechnical investigation for the New Crossing initiative".

Geotechnical investigations obtain information on the physical properties of soil and rock around a site prior to designing structure foundations. Engineers will carry out the study in order to identify where the bridge footings will be located.

Robert Horton, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Works and Engineering, said yesterday the construction of the new causeway could take up to three years.

"The start date for construction is currently under review," he said. "The preliminary cost estimate for the new bridge is $90 million."

Mr. Horton said the initial design was "a high level concrete bridge without an opening span to be built on a curved alignment to the south but close to the existing Causeway".

"While the selected form of alignment has been strongly supported thus far by public consultation, there will be further consultation before the final decision is taken," he added.

Halcrow Group Limited of the UK has been contracted to undertake the feasibility study and the architects are currently Dissing and Weitling.

Mr. Horton said: "The Ministry of Works and Engineering is currently undertaking a feasibility study to determine the suitability of PPP for the procurement of a New Crossing, Castle Harbour."

A Public Private Partnership is an agreement with developers, investors, construction companies and other service providers to finance, build and operate assets such as highways, hospitals, schools and power plants in a long term funding contract.

The Causeway was opened in 1871 but has sustained damage from hurricanes over the years, most recently with Hurricane Fabian in 2003.

Government began public consultation and a feasibility study into the New Crossing in 2006.