Hong Kong legislators on the city’s finance committee voted to approve a government request for an extra HK$48.5 billion ($6.3 billion) in funding to begin construction of the bridge spanning the mouth of the Pearl River, from Hong Kong to Zhuhai and the gambling hub of Macau that could bring jobs and billions in economic benefits.

The 30-km (18 mile) Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge was first proposed nearly two decades ago to bolster southern China’s integration and logistics, while potentially sparking a new wave of manufacturing in the western part of the Pearl River Delta that remains relatively less developed.

But legal challenges over its environmental impact, as well as technical and cost uncertainties, delayed the project.

“This reflects the people’s wishes that such large-scale infrastructure projects should begin and not be repeatedly delayed,” said Eva Cheng, Hong Kong’s secretary for transport and housing, after the funding approval.

“It will enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness and create employment.”

A legal challenge from a single, elderly Hong Kong resident stalled a multi-billion cargo and passenger link for more than a year until the case was finally overturned in September.

Cheng said construction would be speeded up and she expected the project to be completed by 2016 as planned.

The project includes a multi-lane bridge over the sea as well as artificial islands, undersea tunnels, viaducts, and cross-border checkpoints with road and rail links that would put the total cost at well over $13 billion.