Sicily to be connected to mainland Italy by bridge

After 50 years of proposals, delays, and political debate, the government of Giorgia Meloni has given the green light for the construction of a bridge that will connect mainland Italy to Sicily.

Transport Minister Matteo Salvini announced that the bridge will be 3.2 kilometers long and carry both cars and trains, with an estimated cost of $15.6 billion. “The goal is to begin initial construction in September or October, with completion expected in 2032–33,” he stated.

The center-left Democratic Party has sharply criticized the decision, calling the project “a huge waste of public money” and “a plan that will never be realized in the form it’s being presented today.”

Once built, it will be the world’s longest suspension bridge without intermediate pillars, linking Messina (Sicily) with Villa San Giovanni (Calabria).

The Five Star Movement has also expressed strong opposition, highlighting that “while the Meloni government has approved the Messina bridge, it still hasn’t secured the necessary funds to provide high-speed rail to southern Italy.”

A previous, less costly version of the project, estimated at $5.5 billion, was canceled by the Italian Parliament in 2011 due to concerns over its price and necessity.