The Italian government has officially approved a bold €13.5 billion ($15.6 billion) initiative to construct the world’s longest suspension bridge, linking Sicily to mainland Italy across the Strait of Messina.
After years of debate and setbacks, a ministerial committee has endorsed the state-funded plan, which Transport and Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini heralded as a transformative move for southern Italy. “It will be the longest single-span bridge on the planet,” he said, adding that the structure is poised to be a “development accelerator” for economically challenged regions like Sicily and Calabria.
Design and Engineering Highlights
- Two railway lines at its core
- Three traffic lanes on each side
- 3.3 km (2.05 mi) suspended span — a new world record
- Supported by twin towers soaring 400 meters (1,300 ft)
- Engineered to withstand seismic activity and high winds across two tectonic plates
Slated for completion by 2032, the bridge is expected to spark economic growth and generate tens of thousands of jobs. However, the project has triggered environmental protests and skepticism over its cost and feasibility.
Criticism and Controversy
- Concerns over ecological impact and budget priorities
- A history of abandoned infrastructure promises
- Original plans date back over 50 years
- Eurolink (led by Webuild) was awarded the contract in 2006, later suspended during the eurozone crisis, and now reinstated
Adding a political layer to the push, Rome aims to classify the bridge’s costs as defence spending, aligning with NATO’s GDP-based funding targets. Italy hopes to funnel 1.5% into dual-use infrastructure, leveraging the presence of a NATO base in Sicily to justify the move.
