The new Northside Bridge, across the River Derwent in Workington, is expected to be completed and open for traffic by May 2012.
When floods brought down the old bridge, it claimed the life of PC Bill Barker who was directing traffic at the time.
Councillor Tony Markley, the Cumbria county council cabinet member responsible for highways, informed councillors on Thursday last week that Balfour Beatty had won the open tender with a £12m bid.
The new bridge will be a three span structure on the site of the old one.
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