Latest news with #Eurolink
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
World's longest suspension bridge set to connect beautiful island to mainland
Italy 's government has approved a multi-billion-euro project for a 3.6-kilometre bridge connecting Sicily to the mainland, a plan discussed since the late 1960s. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni 's right-wing administration has prioritised the bridge, allocating 13.5 billion euros over the next decade for its construction and surrounding facilities. The Strait of Messina Bridge Project was awarded to the Eurolink consortium, led by Italy's largest construction company Webuild, with preliminary works expected to commence after government and audit court validation. The project faces strong criticism due to its location in an earthquake zone, potential environmental damage, and fears of infiltration by organised crime groups such as the Cosa Nostra and 'Ndrangheta. Despite opposition, supporters believe the bridge will provide a much-needed fast rail and road connection, boosting the economy of Sicily and Italy's poorer southern regions, with Webuild estimating over 100,000 jobs could be created.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Factbox-Key facts about landmark Sicily bridge project
ROME (Reuters) -Italy's government gave final approval on Wednesday to the construction of what will be the world's longest single-span bridge, connecting Sicily to the mainland, despite financial and environmental concerns that have delayed it for decades. The right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has set aside 13.5 billion euros ($15.63 billion) over the next 10 years to build it and surrounding facilities. Following are key facts about the bridge, based on data from the construction company Webuild and Italy's Infrastructure Ministry. Webuild leads the Eurolink consortium, which has been awarded the contract to design and build the Messina Strait Bridge. Also the Spanish group Sacyr and Japanese group IHI are members of the consortium: TOTAL LENGTH The bridge is planned to be the world's longest suspension bridge, with a total length of 3.7 km (2.3 miles) and a suspended span of 3.30 km (2.05 miles). DECK WIDTH The deck will be around 60 metres wide, with six road lanes (three in each direction), two railway tracks and two service lanes. There will be two towers, each made entirely of highly resistant steel, standing 399 metres tall and weighing 55,000 tonnes. Each tower will consist of two legs connected by three crossbeams. The towers will be set in two circular reinforced concrete footings, which will be connected by a crossbeam. The Sicily tower will have a diameter of 55 metres and the Calabria tower will have a diameter of 48 metres. There will be four main cables, each with a diameter of 1.26 metres and made up of 44,323 steel wires. The bridge is expected to remain stable in winds of up to 292 km/h and has a design lifespan of 200 years. The bridge will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. INFRASTRUCTURE The project includes the construction of more than 40 km of new roads and railways, mostly in tunnels, as well as three new underground stations in the Sicilian town of Messina. The clearance above sea level is 72 metres, reducing to 70 metres under full load. SAFETY The bridge has been designed to withstand major earthquakes and winds that far exceed historical records for the area. TIMELINE Construction is expected to take around seven years, with a possible opening in 2032–33. ($1 = 0.8620 euros)
The Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Italy approves world's longest suspension bridge linking Sicily
ROME: The Italian government will finalise approval for a €13.5 billion project to construct the world's longest suspension bridge, linking Sicily to the mainland. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini confirmed a ministerial committee will endorse the state-funded Strait of Messina bridge, calling it a historic milestone after decades of planning. The bridge will feature two railway lines and three traffic lanes on each side, with a record-breaking 3.3km suspended span between 400m-high towers. Scheduled for completion by 2032, officials claim the structure is engineered to resist earthquakes and strong winds in the tectonically active region. The government anticipates economic growth and job creation in Sicily and Calabria, with Salvini projecting tens of thousands of new employment opportunities. However, the project faces opposition over environmental concerns and criticisms of excessive costs that could fund other priorities. Skeptics doubt its realisation, citing Italy's history of abandoned infrastructure projects despite initial funding. Plans for the bridge date back over 50 years, with a 2006 tender awarded to Eurolink before being scrapped during the eurozone crisis. The revived project retains Eurolink, led by Webuild, as the primary contractor. Rome has classified the bridge's cost as defence spending to align with NATO's increased budget demands under US pressure. Italy aims to allocate 1.5% of its defence budget to infrastructure, leveraging Sicily's NATO base to justify the bridge's eligibility. - AFP
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
World's longest suspension bridge to link Sicily to Italy
Italy's government has approved a €13.5 billion project to build the world's longest suspension bridge connecting the island of Sicily to the mainland. After decades of planning, a ministerial committee gave the green light to the state-funded bridge over the Strait of Messina, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini said. "It will be the longest single-span bridge in the world" and would act as a "development accelerator" for the impoverished regions on either side. This is namely the island of Sicily and the southern Italian region of Calabria, he said during a press conference. The bridge has been designed with two railway lines in the middle and three lanes of traffic on either side, with a suspended span of 3.3km - a world record - stretching between two 400m high towers. Due for completion by 2032, the government said the bridge is at the cutting edge of engineering, able to withstand high winds and earthquakes in a region that lies across two tectonic plates. Ministers hope it will bring economic growth and jobs, with Mr Salvini - who is also deputy prime minister - promising the project will create tens of thousands of jobs. Yet it has sparked local protests over the environmental impact and the cost, with critics saying the money could be better spent elsewhere. Other critics believe it will never materialise, pointing to a long history of public works announced, financed yet never completed in Italy. The bridge has had several false starts, with the first plans drawn up more than 50 years ago. Eurolink, a consortium led by Italian group Webuild, won the tender in 2006 only to see it cancelled after the eurozone debt crisis. The consortium remains the contractor on the revived project. This time, Rome has an added incentive to press ahead - by classifying the cost of the bridge as defence spending. Debt-laden Italy has agreed along with other NATO allies to massively increase its defence expenditure to five percent of GDP, at the demand of US President Donald Trump. Of this, 1.5% can be spent on "defence-related" areas such as cybersecurity and infrastructure.
Euractiv
5 days ago
- Business
- Euractiv
Italy to approve world's largest suspension bridge
Italy's government is to give final approval Wednesday to a 13.5-billion-euro project to build the world's longest suspension bridge, connecting the island of Sicily to the mainland. Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini said a ministerial committee will back the state-funded bridge over the Strait of Messina, marking a "page in history" following decades of planning. The bridge has been designed with two railway lines in the middle and three lanes of traffic on either side, with a suspended span of 3.3 kilometres – a world record – stretching between two 400-metre high towers. Due for completion by 2032, the government says the bridge is at the cutting edge of engineering, able to withstand high winds and earthquakes in a region that lies across two tectonic plates. Ministers hope it will bring economic growth and jobs to two impoverished Italian regions – Sicily and Calabria on the mainland – with Salvini promising the project will create tens of thousands of jobs. Yet it has sparked local protests over the environmental impact and the cost that critics say could be better spent elsewhere. Some critics believe it will never materialise, pointing to a long history of public works announced, financed and never completed in Italy. From pipe dream to NATO pitch: Meloni tries to rescue long-awaited bridge to Sicily But with shaky ground beneath it and cracks in the military logic, critics fear it's more spin than steel. The bridge has had several false starts, with the first plans drawn up more than 50 years ago. Eurolink, a consortium led by Italian group Webuild, won the tender in 2006 only to see it cancelled after the eurozone debt crisis. The consortium remains the contractor on the revived project. This time, Rome has an added incentive to press ahead -- by classifying the cost of the bridge as defence spending. Debt-laden Italy has agreed, along with other NATO allies, to massively increase its defence expenditure to 5% of GDP, at the demand of US President Donald Trump. Of this, 1.5% can be spent on "defence-related" areas such as cybersecurity and infrastructure. Rome is hoping the Messina bridge will qualify, particularly as Sicily hosts a NATO base. (mm)
