Construction on the Willamette River Bridge in Portland, US, will begin in 2011, following the approval of $127m in contracts by the board of Portland mass transit operator TriMet.
The bridge is part of the $1.5bn Portland-to-Milwaukie MAX light-rail line, or Orange Line.
Touted to be the nation's largest transit bridge, it will only be used for light rail trains, pedestrians and bicycles.
The 7.3-mile light rail project will connect Portland State University to Milwaukie and north Clackamas county.
TriMet's board unanimously approved six resolutions to move forward with funding for the project and authorised the sale of $724m-worth of bonds, according to The Oregonian.
Initial work on the four-pier, cable-stayed bridge will begin in July next year, after the US Government gives approval for the commencement of the water work.
The service of the MAX line is scheduled to begin in September 2015.
