Italy Approves €13.5bn Plan for World’s Longest Suspension Bridge to Sicily

Italy has officially greenlit an ambitious €13.5 billion project to construct the world’s longest suspension bridge, linking the island of Sicily with Calabria on the Italian mainland. The approval marks a major milestone for a long-debated project that has faced decades of delays and opposition.

The proposed Messina Bridge will stretch 3.3km across the Strait of Messina, supported by two massive 400-metre towers. The design includes two railway tracks at the centre, flanked by three lanes of vehicular traffic in each direction. If completed, it would surpass all existing suspension bridges in length.

The bridge’s location is one of the most seismically active in the Mediterranean, but engineers say the structure has been designed to withstand significant earthquakes.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, speaking on Wednesday, described the project as an “investment in Italy’s present and future,” acknowledging the complex and contentious path that has led to this point. “We enjoy difficult challenges when they make sense,” she added.

Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, a key proponent of the initiative, hailed the decision and projected that the bridge could be completed between 2032 and 2033. He also claimed the construction phase would generate around 120,000 jobs annually, spurring economic growth in Sicily and Calabria – two of Europe’s most impoverished regions.

To help fund the project, Rome is exploring the option of categorising the bridge as military infrastructure, which would allow the expenditure to count toward NATO’s 5% GDP defence target.

However, final approval is still pending from Italy’s Court of Auditors and both national and EU environmental authorities. Local consultations are also required, particularly with residents whose properties may be seized for the development. Legal challenges could stall or derail the project altogether.

Over the past 50 years, multiple attempts to initiate the bridge’s construction have collapsed due to high costs, environmental concerns, safety issues, and fears of corruption – particularly involving the Sicilian and Calabrian mafias.

Criticism remains strong. Senator Nicola Irto of the centre-left Democratic Party called the bridge “controversial and divisive,” warning that it could divert vital funding from education, healthcare, and local transport. Giusy Caminiti, mayor of Villa San Giovanni on the Calabrian coast, expressed concern about the impact on her community and demanded more inclusive consultations.

Environmental groups also voiced opposition, warning that the construction would consume millions of litres of water daily – a significant issue in regions that frequently experience drought.

At present, trains crossing the Strait of Messina must be loaded onto ferries, a process that takes approximately 30 minutes. Supporters of the bridge argue it would modernise transit between Sicily and the mainland, while critics remain unconvinced that the economic and environmental costs are justified.