A planning application for a new pedestrian footbridge adjacent to the Salmon Weir bridge is due to be lodged with An Bord Pleanala before year end.
The existing Salmon Weir bridge over the River Corrib is over 200 years old.
The need for the crossing has been long identified due to inadequate pedestrian and cyclist facilities on a structure with high pedestrian demand including students and tourists.
The proposal would link two areas of the city - one associated with the hospital, university and major tourism centre - to the other which is the commercial and transport hub of the city.
Officials presented the preliminary proposal to councillors at their meeting this week where a request was made for a change of project in relation to designated funding.
The project has since been allocated 3.5 million euro after funding under the Designated Urban Centres grant scheme was redirected following consultation with the Northern and Western Regional Assembly.
The grant had initially been awarded to support the proposed Galway Library and Cultural development on the Headford Road.
However the local authority is not in a position to advance the project within the period of the designated scheme.
The meeting heard the NTA has also agreed in principle to co-fund 50 percent of the project which is estimated to have an overall cost of over 7 million euro.
The project is now at design stage with an estimated timeline for delivery by 2021.
