It has been almost a year since the alternative route was revealed and the public was consulted.

The infrastructure, planning and logistics department is still finishing the design report and the submission to the NT Planning Commission hasn’t even started.

The submission will seek approval to include the bypass route in the Katherine Land Use Plan. 

“A preferred alignment has been identified in consultation with the Katherine community,” a government spokesman said. 

“The department is currently undertaking administrative works to complete the design report.”

The department has not updated public information on the route since May 2.

If it goes ahead, the route will cost $150 million of public money and could take 20 years to complete.

The project which has not yet progressed beyond the planning phase after many years of discussion. 

While the Federal Government funded the study, no funding has been dedicated to building the route. 

The project would include a two lane road, a second high level bridge along the Katherine River and a number of other bridges, culverts and intersections.

Based on projected traffic figures it is expected that the road would be required in the next 20 plus years. 

The project will depend on a number of factors such as industrial, agricultural and mining activities in the Katherine region and the impact that may have on the transport task.

The community consultation wrapped up in Katherine in March.

An upgraded Bicentennial Road is expected to be the first section of the alternative route which would have intersection upgrades and widening works.