Italy gives final approval for longest suspension bridge to Sicily
17 days ago
- #infrastructure
- #controversy
- #Italy
- Italy approves €13.5bn project to build the world's longest suspension bridge connecting Sicily to Calabria.
- The bridge, spanning 3.3km, is designed to withstand earthquakes in a seismically active area.
- Previous attempts to build the Messina Bridge were scrapped due to cost, safety, and mafia concerns.
- Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni calls it an 'investment in Italy's present and future'.
- The bridge will feature two railway lines and three traffic lanes on each side.
- Rome aims to classify the project as military expenditure to meet NATO's 2% GDP defense target.
- Transport Minister Matteo Salvini expects completion between 2032-2033, creating 120,000 jobs annually.
- The project faces scrutiny from Italian and EU environmental agencies and potential legal challenges.
- Opponents cite concerns over mafia corruption, environmental damage, and diversion of crucial resources.
- Local groups argue the bridge would exacerbate water shortages in drought-prone regions.