New bridge will link popular island to mainland as critics warn of mafia, earthquakes
The Strait of Messina Bridge would connect the island of Sicily to the mainland of Italy in a $15.5 billion project stretching over 2 miles, according to The Associated Press (AP).
The bridge has been a long-discussed project since it was first proposed in 1969.
It was approved and canceled multiple times until 2023, when Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's administration revived the proposal.
The concept of building a bridge connecting the Italian mainland with Sicily supposedly dates back to Ancient Rome, when the Romans attempted to transport 100 elephants captured during the Battle of Panormus in 250 BC. Others believe the idea of the bridge relates to Homer's "Odyssey," citing Scylla and Charybdis.
The Strait of Messina would have the capacity to carry 6,000 cars an hour and 200 trains a day, with four lanes of traffic bordered by a double-track railway, AP reported.
Opponents of the bridge cite environmental, safety and even mafia concerns.
The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI) published an analysis by Anna Sergi, a sociologist and expert in criminal law, who deemed the bridge "unnecessary."
Sergi warned the project would be "vulnerable to global mafia appetites," noting that similar public works have historically been co-opted by organized crime.
"The attraction of large-scale works for the corrupt and the mafia is that the realization and social utility of the work are of marginal interest," she said.
"The more the realization is diluted over time, the more technical difficulties produce delays, the more there are new investments, or changes to the original project, the malign actors will be able to fill their pockets," wrote Segi.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella reiterated the project would still be subject to anti-mafia legislation that applies to all large-scale infrastructure projects, according to AP.
Others share concerns about earthquakes triggered by the Messina fault, which separates Sicily from mainland Italy; it caused a deadly quake in 1908.
WeBuild, an Italian infrastructure group, will spearhead the project, noting that suspension bridges are less likely to cave to seismic forces.
The group cited suspension bridges built in Japan, Turkey and California – which are seismically active areas.
The Canakkale Bridge in northwestern Turkey is the longest suspension bridge, stretching over a mile, constructed by WeBuild.
Work on the bridge is expected to start at the end of the summer — with construction beginning to start in early 2026, according to AP.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
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