A large-scale reconstruction project on a major north-south thoroughfare in Thunder Bay, Ont., is not likely to resume until 2020, according to the city's top engineering official.

"Right now, we do have some budget constraints over the next couple years where we're funding some large structures that need to be rehabilitated," Kayla Dixon told CBC News. "The work on Balmoral Street, therefore, is being delayed a couple years."

The three-year project — to be done in phases — was announced towards the end of 2015 and covers Balmoral between the Neebing-McIntyre Floodway and Beverly Street. The plan calls for reconstructing the deteriorating surface in addition to improving stormwater infrastructure, adding curbs, gutters, sidewalks and multi-purpose trails.

This is the second time there will be a delay in starting work on the next significant portion of the project. Reconstruction efforts were largely done in 2016 between the floodway and Hewitson Street, with some additional work done this year to get the project as far as the Harbour Expressway.

A revised schedule now calls for construction to continue from the Harbour Expressway to Alloy Drive in 2020, from Alloy to Central Avenue in 2021 and the rest in 2022.

The "large structures" the city intends to tackle in 2018 and 2019 are a bridge on Main Street and the Boulevard Lake dam, respectively, Dixon said. The dam project is contingent on an ongoing environmental assessment being approved by the province.

City officials have said that some of the funding that was available for roadwork from senior levels of government is now instead being offered for other types of projects, such as transit and green initiatives. Dixon said the city has made use of this for ongoing stormwater work.

Money from things like the federal gas tax and the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund generally goes to projects in Thunder Bay like other road repaving work, Dixon said.

"We may receive additional funding ... but at this point, to fit in to our budgets ... [the new timeline is] what we're looking at right now," Dixon said.