The Italian government has given final approval for the construction of the world’s longest single-span suspension bridge, which will connect Sicily to the mainland, despite environmental, financial, and other challenges that have delayed the project for decades.
Plans for the 3.7-kilometre bridge across the Strait of Messina have been discussed since the late 1960s, envisioned as a potential catalyst for the economic development of Italy’s impoverished south.
The right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has made the bridge one of its infrastructure priorities, allocating €13.5 billion over the next ten years for its construction and related infrastructure. According to the Messina Strait Company, the works are expected to be completed by 2032.
The project, however, has many critics, including experts who doubt its feasibility given that it would be built in a seismically active zone. Additional concerns include potential cost overruns, negative environmental impacts, and the risk of mafia infiltration into construction contracts.
Environmental organisations have filed a complaint with the European Union, warning of serious threats to the local ecosystem, while civic initiatives argue that the bridge is unnecessary.
Supporters, on the other hand, believe that a modern road and rail link — as an alternative to the current ferry crossing — will bring significant economic momentum to Sicily and other disadvantaged regions of southern Italy.
Following an international tender, the project has been awarded to the Eurolink consortium, led by Italy’s largest construction company Webuild, together with Spain’s Sacyr group and Japan’s IHI.
The Messina Strait Company stated that the approval will allow preliminary works to begin, including archaeological and geological surveys and land acquisition. Webuild estimates that the project could create over 100,000 jobs.
Source: poslovni.hr
Photo: Webuild
