A Stormont department has spent £22.3million on the stalled York Street Interchange scheme without a single sod being cut.
The long-delayed project is aimed at addressing a major traffic bottleneck in North Belfast between the Westlink, M2 and M3 - three of Northern Ireland's busiest roads.
Public inquiries into the plans were held back in 2015, but work was held up following a legal challenge to the tendering process.
Read more: Council withdraws support for York Street Interchange congestion scheme
An external review of the project was set up in 2020 by then Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon and afterwards she asked consultants to further consider "place-making" within the plans.
The redevelopment, which is estimated to cost around £165million, was included in the New Decade New Approach Agreement which restored Stormont power-sharing in 2020.
Securing funding for the scheme was also part of the DUP's confidence-and-supply agreement in 2017 which propped up former Prime Minister Theresa May's minority Conservative government.
The Department for Infrastructure's bill so far was confirmed in response to a written Assembly question from DUP North Belfast MLA Phillip Brett.
He described the spending as "startling" and urged the new Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd to quickly progress the project.
Mr Brett said: "In 2017 the DUP through our confidence-and-supply agreement secured the funding for this vital major infrastructure scheme.
"Despite repeated assurances from the previous minister, no substantial progress on commencing this transformative project was achieved.
"It is startling and a matter of huge concern that without a single sod being cut, the Department of Infrastructure has spent £22.3million on the scheme.
"I have requested a meeting with the minister to stress the importance of getting this project moving.
"The York Street Interchange is a flagship project, that will have a transformative impact upon our economy in both the short and long term.
"For all those people who spend an hour every morning and evening trundling along the Westlink, this project would be transformative. It is high time it got moving."
The project proposed replacing existing traffic light-controlled junctions at York Street with direct links between the Westlink, M2 and M3.
It would also separate through-traffic from other motorists by constructing underpasses below current road and rail bridges, and underneath a new bridge at York Street.
Mr O'Dowd was appointed as caretaker Infrastructure Minister in the absence of a new Stormont Executive after the SDLP's Ms Mallon lost her MLA seat in May's election.
The Sinn Féin MLA said work is "ongoing" to consider recent reviews of the York Street Interchange project.
He said: "The Placemaking and Active Travel Review, which aimed to maximise the social, economic and environmental benefits of the York Street Interchange project and its contribution to the future development of Belfast, has now been completed.
"The report identified a number of options to enhance placemaking and improve active travel provision. Work is ongoing to refine the shortlisted options and consider factors relating to their potential implementation."
Read more: Campaign group formed to promote better cycling infrastructure in North Belfast
Read more: Council withdraws support for York Street Interchange congestion scheme
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