Latest news with #StraitOfMessina
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Legal battle looms over Italy plan to build world's longest suspension bridge
Italy's decision to approve the construction between Sicily and the mainland of what would be the world's longest single-span bridge has set the stage for a legal battle that could further delay a project first conceived by the ancient Romans. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing government gave its final approval for the bridge over the Strait of Messina on Wednesday, earmarking €13.5 billion (US$15.8 billion) for a project that has been under discussion for more than 50 years. The Strait of Messina Bridge would measure nearly 3.7km (2.2 miles), with the suspended span reaching 3.3km, surpassing Turkey's Canakkale Bridge, currently the longest, by 1,277 metres. With three car lanes in each direction flanked by a double-track railway, the bridge would have the capacity to carry 6,000 cars an hour and 200 trains a day - reducing the time to cross the strait by ferry from up to 100 minutes to 10 minutes by car. 'They could offer me three times the value of my house, but that doesn't matter to me. What matters is the landscape. They must not touch the Strait of Messina,' said Mariolina De Francesco, a 75-year-old living in the Sicilian city of Messina. More than 440 properties will have to be expropriated on the Sicilian side and in the Calabria region on the mainland to make way for the bridge and connecting roads and railways.
Arab News
6 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Italy approves $15.5 billion project to build world's longest suspension bridge from mainland to Sicily
MILAN: Italy cleared the way Wednesday to build the world's largest suspension bridge linking the Italian mainland with Sicily in a massive 13.5 billion euro ($15.5 billion) infrastructure project that has been long delayed by debates over its scale, earthquake threats, environmental impact and the specter of mafia interference. The Strait of Messina Bridge will be 'the biggest infrastructure project in the West,' Transport Minister Matteo Salvini told a news conference in Rome, after an interministerial committee with oversight of strategic public investments approved the project. Premier Giorgia Meloni said that the bridge 'will be an engineering symbol of global significance.' Salvini cited studies showing the project will create 120,000 jobs a year and accelerate growth in economically lagging southern Italy, as billions more in investments are made in roads and other infrastructure projects accompanying the bridge. Preliminary work could begin between late September and early October, once Italy's court of audit signs off, with construction expected to start next year. Despite bureaucratic delays, the bridge is expected to be completed between 2032-2033, Salvini said. Bridge could count toward NATO spending target The Strait of Messina Bridge has been approved and canceled multiple times since the Italian government first solicited proposals in 1969. Premier Giorgia Meloni's administration revived the project in 2023, and this marks the furthest stage the ambitious project— first envisioned by the Romans — has ever reached. 'From a technical standpoint, it's an absolutely fascinating engineering project,'' Salvini said. The Strait of Messina Bridge would measure nearly 3.7 kilometers (2.2 miles), with the suspended span reaching 3.3 kilometers (more than 2 miles), surpassing Turkiye's Canakkale Bridge, currently the longest, by 1,277 meters (4,189 feet). With three car lanes in each direction flanked by a double-track railway, the bridge would have the capacity to carry 6,000 cars an hour and 200 trains a day — reducing the time to cross the strait by ferry from up to 100 minutes to 10 minutes by car. Trains will save 2/12 hours in transit time, Salvini said. The project could provide a boost to Italy's commitment to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP targeted by NATO, as the government has indicated it would classify the bridge as defense-related, helping it to meet a 1.5 percent security component. Italy argues that the bridge would form a strategic corridor for rapid troop movements and equipment deployment to NATO's southern flanks, qualifying it as a 'security-enhancing infrastructure.' Salvini confirmed the intention to classify the project as dual use, but said that was up to Italy's defense and economic ministers. A group of more than 600 professors and researchers signed a letter earlier this summer opposing the military classification, noting that such a move would require additional assessments to see if it could withstand military use. Opponents also say the designation would potentially make the bridge a target. Concerns over organized crime Environmental groups have lodged complaints with the EU, citing concerns that the project will impact migratory birds, noting that environmental studies had not demonstrated that the project is a public imperative and that any environmental damage would be offset. The original government decree reactivating the bridge project included language giving the Interior Ministry control over anti-mafia measures. But Italy's president insisted that the project remain subject to anti-mafia legislation that applies to all large-scale infrastructure projects in Italy out of concerns that the ad-hoc arrangement would weaken controls. Salvini pledged that keeping organized crime out of the project was top priority, saying it would adhere to the same protocols used for the Expo 2015 World's Fair and the upcoming Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. 'We need to pay attention so that the entire supply chain is impermeable to bad actors,'' he said. The project has been awarded to a consortium led by Webuild, an Italian infrastructure group that initially won the bid to build the bridge in 2006 before it was later canceled. The Canakkale Bridge, which opened in 2022, was built using an engineering design similar to the one devised for the Messina bridge, including a wing profile and a deck shape that resembles a fighter jet fuselage with openings to allow wind to pass through the structure, according to Webuild. Addressing concerns about building the bridge over the Messina fault, which triggered a deadly quake in 1908, Webuild has emphasized that suspension bridges are structurally less vulnerable to seismic forces. It noted that such bridges have been built in seismically active areas, including Japan. Turkiye and California. Webuild CEO Pietro Salini said in a statement that the Strait of Messina Bridge 'will be transformative for the whole country.'
The Independent
7 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.
Wall Street Journal
7 days ago
- Wall Street Journal
World's Longest Suspension Bridge to Link Sicily to Mainland Italy
Italy's government has approved a project to build the world's longest suspension bridge that will connect Sicily to the Italian mainland. The proposed bridge spanning the Strait of Messina will measure 2 miles in length. To withstand the strait's strong winds and currents, engineers have designed the bridge with two 1,310-foot-tall steel towers, eliminating the need for a central tower in the sea.
The Independent
7 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Italy greenlights a $15.5 billion project to build bridge linking Sicily to the mainland
A long-delayed and debated bridge linking the Italian mainland with Sicily cleared a major hurdle Wednesday, allowing work to begin on what would be the world's longest suspension bridge, despite concerns over earthquakes, environmental impacts and the threat of mafia interference. An interministerial committee with oversight of strategic public investments approved the 13.5 billion euro ($15.5 billion) project, the Transport Ministry said in a statement. Transport Minister Matteo Salvini said the project will be 'an accelerator for development' in southern Italy. Preliminary work could begin later this summer, with construction expected to start next year. The Strait of Messina Bridge has been approved and canceled multiple times since the Italian government first solicited proposals in 1969, and was most recently revived by Premier Giorgia Meloni's administration in 2023. The notion of constructing a link between Sicily and the mainland dates back to ancient Rome. The decision marks a political victory for Salvini, who has made the realization of the bridge a hallmark of his tenure, saying it would be 'a revolution' for southern Italy by bringing jobs and economic growth. The Strait of Messina Bridge would measure nearly 3.7 kilometers, with the suspended span reaching 3.3 kilometers (more than two miles), surpassing Canakkale Bridge in Turkey, currently the longest, by 1,277 meters (4,189 feet). With four lanes of traffic flanked by a double-track railway, the bridge would have the capacity to carry 6,000 cars an hour and 200 trains a day. The project could provide a boost to Italy's commitment to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP targeted by NATO, as the government has indicated it would classify the bridge as defense-related, helping it to meet a 1.5% security component. Italy argues that the bridge would form a strategic corridor for rapid troop movements and equipment deployment to NATO's southern flanks, qualifying it as a 'security-enhancing infrastructure.' A group of more than 600 professors and researchers signed a letter earlier this summer opposing the military classification, noting that such a move would require additional assessments to see if it could withstand military use. Opponents also say the designation would potentially make the bridge a target. Environmental groups have lodged additional complaints with the EU, citing concerns that the project will impact migratory birds, noting that environmental studies had not demonstrated that the project is a public imperative and that any environmental damage would be offset. The original government decree reactivating the bridge project included language giving the Interior Ministry control over anti-mafia measures. But Italy's president insisted that the project remain subject to anti-mafia legislation that applies to all large-scale infrastructure projects in Italy out of concerns that the ad-hoc arrangement would weaken controls. The project has been awarded to a consortium led by WeBuild, an Italian infrastructure group, which initially won the bid to build the bridge in 2006 before the project was canceled in 2013. WeBuild constructed the Canakkale Bridge, which is currently the longest suspension bridge at 2 kilometers and 23 meters (about a mile and a quarter). The Canakkale Bridge, which opened in 2022, was built using the engineering model originally devised for the Messina Bridge, with a wing profile and a deck shape that resembles a fighter jet fuselage with openings to allow wind to pass through the structure, according to WeBuild. Addressing concerns about building the bridge over the Messina fault, which triggered a deadly quake in 1908, WeBuild has emphasized that suspension bridges are structurally less vulnerable to seismic forces. It noted that such bridges have been built in seismically active areas, including Japan. Turkey and California. WeBuild CEO Pietro Salini told investors this month that the Messina Bridge 'will be a game-changer for Italy.'
