Italy is reviving plans for a bridge connecting Sicily to the mainland. Will it work?

The Italian government this week gave the green light for construction to start on what it says would be the world’s longest single-span suspension bridge.

The Strait of Messina Bridge would connect Sicily to the rest of Italy over a 2-mile stretch. It’s expected to cost 13.5 billion euros ($15.7 billion), which Italy’s Presidency of the Council of Ministers says will be completely funded by the public and has already been accounted for in the 2024 and 2025 budget.

The government first approved the project in 1971. It has been canceled many times over the years over concerns about money and practicality, but was revised in 2022. Construction is planned to begin in May 2026 and end in 2032.

“The decision made by [the Italian planning committee] CIPESS to approve the Strait of Messina Bridge project marks the start of a new season of vision, courage and confidence in the capabilities of Italian industry and the entire infrastructure sector,” said Pietro Salini, CEO of Webuild, one of the companies behind the construction.

How feasible is it?

The bridge is in an area rife with seismic activity. But Lamya Amleh, a structural engineering researcher at Toronto Metropolitan University, says there is precedent for successful bridges in earthquake-prone countries. She points to Japan, having routinely and successfully built major bridges, such as the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge (which the Japanese tourism department says is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world). In Turkey, there’s the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge (the longest suspension bridge in the world).

“The risk doesn’t go away, but it can be managed,” Amleh said. “It just needs to be taken seriously throughout the design and construction process, throughout the bridge’s life cycle.”

Fiber-reinforced polymers could be useful in certain components to make the bridge less heavy and resist corrosion, while certain expansion joints could help absorb seismic activity and heat generated as the bridge moves, Amleh said.

“It’s not just about strength, it’s about how they perform over decades,” Amleh said.

What could go wrong?

Outside of earthquakes, builders also have to consider wind and corrosion.

“With the salty air, materials will degrade faster, so durability and maintenance have to be built into the plan,” Amleh said.

Webuild says it has put the construction materials through rigorous testing, and they can withstand wind speeds of up to 181 mph. Speeds have never exceeded 89 mph in the area, the company says.

That’s not all. Resistance from locals is also a factor, as opposing residents have started a movement called “No Ponte,” or “no bridge.” They argue the funding should go to existing infrastructure projects that need attention, The Italian Insider reports.

There has been a lot of stop-and-start activity surrounding the bridge, including several cancellations, revisions and long gaps between major milestones, such as choosing the designers.

Webuild says the site was deemed sound and stable in the most recent environmental impact assessment, which the European Union has made mandatory for major developments. The report evaluates the impact a venture might have on people, cultural heritage, land, soil, water and more.

Webuild says the newest report improves upon previous iterations, as it now includes more protections for surrounding rivers and plans for reforestation.

Amleh estimates a bridge of that size could take eight to 10 years to build if things go smoothly, and 15 or more if they don’t.

What could go right?

If the bridge makes it to completion, it could bring lots of prosperity to southern Italy, Amleh said.

About 40% of the project’s cost is going to construction, and more than 100,000 employees will be hired for the project. But the rest of the money will be devoted to building new roads, train stations, shops and restaurants, and redeveloping old parks, quarries and areas affected by coastal erosion, according to Webuild.

As of now, a ferry runs from Messina in Sicily across the strait to Reggio Calabria on the mainland. The bridge will have three lanes in each direction dedicated to vehicular traffic and train tracks. It could handle up to 200 trains a day and 6,000 vehicles per hour, Webuild says.