The Italian government approved on Wednesday 6th August the colossal project for a 3.3-kilometre suspension bridge linking Sicily to Calabria. With an estimated cost of €13.5 billion, the project has sparked intense debate between supporters of economic development and opponents concerned about environmental and mafia-related risks.
A ministerial committee gave its definitive green light on Wednesday to the €13.5 billion (£12.7 billion) project to build the world’s longest suspension bridge, connecting the island of Sicily to the mainland, announced a spokesperson from the Infrastructure Ministry.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, the project’s main champion, described it as a “historic moment” after decades of planning. With two railway tracks in the centre and three traffic lanes on each side, the infrastructure will break the world record currently held by Turkey’s Çanakkale Bridge (2.02km span).
A Technical Challenge in an Earthquake Zone
The structure has been designed to withstand extreme conditions: winds of up to 216 km/h and earthquakes of magnitude 7.1, in a region located at the junction of two tectonic plates. The bridge will be suspended between two 400-metre-high towers, with a suspended span of 3,300 metres.
Eurolink, a consortium led by Italian group Webuild, won the tender in 2006, though this was cancelled following the eurozone debt crisis. However, the consortium remains the contractor for the relaunched project. Construction work is expected to begin between September and October 2025, with completion scheduled for 2032.
Multiple Sources of Opposition
The project faces fierce criticism. Environmental groups have raised concerns about the ecological consequences: the infrastructure will be built over a protected marine area and could cause “carnage” affecting “millions of birds” by disrupting their migration routes, according to Tommaso Castronovo, president of Legambiente Sicilia.
Opponents also question the budgetary priorities. “We’ve just endured a summer without running water,” says activist Gino Sturniolo, who believes that a fraction of these funds would suffice to repair Sicily’s water supply system. Italy’s Court of Auditors has criticised “a significant imbalance” favouring the bridge in the state’s infrastructure investments when evaluating the 2024 budget.
The Mafia Threat
The question of criminal infiltration is particularly concerning to the authorities. The chief prosecutor of Messina has warned against the risk of mafia infiltration in the bridge’s construction, noting that the mafia’s “power hides behind public works projects”.
The government has planned strict measures: all companies must register with the anti-mafia registry before securing contracts. The Interior Ministry will also monitor the ownership conditions of land to be expropriated to exclude any mafia influence.
Strategic Classification as Defence Spending
Rome has found an original financial lever for this colossal project. Debt-laden Italy has agreed, along with other NATO allies, to massively increase its defence spending to 5% of GDP, at the request of US President Donald Trump.
Of this amount, 1.5% can be devoted to “defence-related” areas such as cybersecurity and infrastructure, and Rome hopes the Messina Bridge will qualify, particularly as Sicily hosts a NATO base.
Disputed Economic Promises
The government is banking on major economic benefits. Salvini promises tens of thousands of jobs for Sicily and Calabria, two of Italy’s poorest regions. The goal: to transform the strait into a strategic Mediterranean hub and reduce the “insularity cost” estimated at €6.5 billion annually for Sicily.
However, trade unions have tempered these expectations. The CGIL union (left-wing) estimates the number of workers to be hired during construction at around 2,300 per year, far from the figures put forward by the government.
The Messina Bridge is more than just an infrastructure project. It symbolises Italian contradictions: the ambition of a major national project set against the structural challenges of the Mezzogiorno, where high-speed trains don’t exist and water is regularly rationed. It’s a €13.5 billion gamble whose outcome remains uncertain.
Hello! I’m Ben Fischer, a travel enthusiast who has journeyed far and wide to bring you unique and inspiring stories. Each destination is a new adventure for me, a chance to explore diverse cultures and share unforgettable experiences.
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