Strait of Messina Bridge: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Proposed suspension bridge linking Sicily to mainland Italy}} | {{Short description|Proposed suspension bridge linking Sicily to mainland Italy}} | ||
{{More citations needed|date=November 2024}} | {{More citations needed|date=November 2024}} | ||
{{Use dmy dates|date= | {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} | ||
{{Infobox bridge | {{Infobox bridge | ||
| bridge_name | | bridge_name = Strait of Messina Bridge | ||
| native_name | | native_name = {{nobold|Ponte sullo stretto di Messina}} | ||
| native_name_lang = it | | native_name_lang = it | ||
| image | | image = Messina Bridge from Piale.jpg | ||
| image_size | | image_size = 260 | ||
| caption | | caption = An artist's impression of the planned bridge from the [[Calabria]]n coast | ||
| official_name | | official_name = | ||
| also_known_as | | also_known_as = | ||
| carries | | carries = Six lanes and two emergency lanes; two rail tracks and two railway sidewalks. | ||
| crosses | | crosses = [[Strait of Messina]] | ||
| locale | | locale = [[Messina]] and [[Villa San Giovanni]] | ||
| maint | | maint = | ||
| id | | id = | ||
| design | | design = [[Suspension bridge]] | ||
| designer | | designer = [[Stretto di Messina]] | ||
| mainspan | | mainspan = {{convert|3300|m}} | ||
| length | | length = {{convert|3666|m}} | ||
| height | | height = {{convert|399|m}} (pylons) | ||
| width | | width = | ||
| clearance | | clearance = | ||
| below | | below = {{convert|76|m}} | ||
| traffic | | traffic = | ||
| begin | | begin = 2025 (projected)<ref name="reuters-20250519">{{cite news |last1=Amante |first1=Angelo |last2=Fonte |first2=Giuseppe |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/work-long-debated-bridge-sicily-could-begin-coming-months-2025-05-19/ |title=Work on long-debated bridge to Sicily could begin in coming months |work=[[Reuters]] |date=19 May 2025 |access-date=10 June 2025}}</ref> | ||
| complete | | complete = 2032 (projected)<ref name="ansa">{{cite web|title=Messina Bridge construction to start end-April, end 2032 |url=https://www.ansa.it/english/news/business/2025/03/14/messina-bridge-construction-to-start-end-april-end-2032_454c743f-7a67-4431-b405-65979cdea565.html |website=ansa.it |date=14 March 2025 |access-date=12 April 2025}}</ref> | ||
| open | | open = | ||
| closed | | closed = | ||
| toll | | toll = | ||
| coordinates | | coordinates = {{coord|38|14|51|N|15|38|21|E|region:IT_type:landmark_scale:50000|display=inline,title}} | ||
}} | }} | ||
The '''Strait of Messina Bridge''' ({{langx|it|Ponte sullo stretto di Messina}}) is a proposed {{convert|3.6|km|adj=on}} [[suspension bridge]] across the [[Strait of Messina]], connecting [[Torre Faro]] | The '''Strait of Messina Bridge''' ({{langx|it|Ponte sullo stretto di Messina}}) is a proposed {{convert|3.6|km|mi|frac=8|adj=on}} [[suspension bridge]] across the [[Strait of Messina]], connecting [[Torre Faro]] on the Italian island of Sicily with [[Villa San Giovanni]] in Calabria on the Italian mainland.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/italy-says-it-will-build-the-longest-suspension-bridge-in-the-world-dont-hold-your-breath-71b7cc86 | title=Italy Says it Will Build the Longest Suspension Bridge in the World. Don't Hold Your Breath. | first=Eric | last=Sylvers | work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] | date=26 July 2023 | url-access=subscription | access-date=10 January 2024 | archive-date=10 January 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240110125656/https://www.wsj.com/articles/italy-says-it-will-build-the-longest-suspension-bridge-in-the-world-dont-hold-your-breath-71b7cc86 | url-status=live }}</ref> If built, it would be the [[List of largest suspension bridges|longest suspension bridge in the world]] and part of the [[Berlin–Palermo railway axis]] of the [[Trans-European Transport Networks]]. | ||
While a bridge across the Strait of Messina had been proposed since ancient times, the first detailed plan was made in the 1990s, for a suspension bridge. The project was cancelled in 2006 under Prime Minister [[Romano Prodi]],<ref name="plans-dropped-bbc">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6043626.stm |work=[[BBC News]] |title=Italy drops Sicily bridge plans |date=12 October 2006 |access-date=12 October 2006 |archive-date=25 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525184905/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6043626.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> revived in 2009 under [[Silvio Berlusconi]],<ref>{{cite web | url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7928949.stm | title=Italy revives Sicily bridge plan | work=[[BBC News]] | date=6 March 2009 | access-date=17 May 2011 | archive-date=31 August 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831145510/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7928949.stm | url-status=live }}</ref> and cancelled again in 2013 under [[Mario Monti]].<ref name="sinks">{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/italy-bridge-idUSL6N0BQC1O20130226/ | title=Sicily bridge project sinks in Italy budget mire | first=Danilo | last=Masoni | work=[[Reuters]] | date=26 February 2013 | access-date=7 August 2025}}</ref> It was resurrected again in 2023 under [[Giorgia Meloni]]<ref name=approves/><ref name=Stretto/><ref>{{Cite web |date=16 February 2024 |title=Déjà Vu? Italy Plans to Build World's Longest Suspension Bridge to Sicily |url=https://www.iflscience.com/deja-vu-italy-plans-to-build-worlds-longest-suspension-bridge-to-sicily-72993 |access-date=18 February 2024 |website=IFLScience}}</ref> and received final government approval in August 2025.<ref>{{cite web |date=6 August 2025 |title=Italy gives final go-ahead for landmark Sicily bridge project |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italy-gives-final-go-ahead-landmark-sicily-bridge-project-2025-08-06/ |access-date=6 August 2025 |website=reuters.com}}</ref> However, in October, Italy's [[Court of Audit (Italy)|Court of Audit]] rejected the proposal. | |||
The proposal has drawn concerns connected with earthquakes, strong currents in the strait, disruption of bird migration routes, and a possibility of infiltration into the bridge's construction by the [[mafia]] groups [[Cosa Nostra]] and [['Ndrangheta]].<ref name="difficult">{{Cite news |last=Nadeau |first=Barbie Latza |date=30 April 2023 |title=Italy wants to build the world's longest suspension bridge. The Mafia and geography might make that difficult |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/italy-messina-bridge-sicily-intl/index.html |work=[[CNN]]}}</ref> | |||
==Geography== | ==Geography== | ||
[[File:Stretto di messina satellite.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|A 2002 [[NASA]] photo of the [[Strait of Messina]]. The bridge | [[File:Stretto di messina satellite.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|A 2002 [[NASA]] photo of the [[Strait of Messina]]. The bridge is expected to connect north Messina with [[Villa San Giovanni]].]] | ||
The [[Strait of Messina]] is a funnel-shaped arm of sea that connects the [[Ionian Sea]] in the south to the [[Tyrrhenian Sea]] to the north. The width of the strait varies from a maximum of approximately {{convert|16|km|mi|abbr=in}} | The [[Strait of Messina]] is a funnel-shaped arm of sea that connects the [[Ionian Sea]] in the south to the [[Tyrrhenian Sea]] to the north. The width of the strait varies from a maximum of approximately {{convert|16|km|mi|abbr=in}}, between Capo d'Alì in [[Sicily]] and Punta Pellaro in [[Calabria]], to a minimum of approximately {{convert|3|km|mi|abbr=in}} between Capo Peloro in Sicily and Torre Cavallo in Calabria.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/542800/Sicily |title=Sicily (island, Italy) – Britannica Online Encyclopedia |date=17 February 2009 |publisher=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |accessdate=20 February 2011 |archive-date=4 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504203505/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/542800/Sicily |url-status=live }}</ref> A similar distance separates Pezzo and Ganzirri. At that point, the strait is only {{convert|72|m|ft|abbr=on}} deep, while in other places, it can reach {{convert|200|m|ft|abbr=on}} deep. In addition to strong tidal currents, the region's significant seismic activity will pose a challenge to the bridge's construction.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 April 2007 |title=Messina Strait, Italy |url=https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/7630/messina-strait-italy |access-date=30 October 2025 |website=earthobservatory.nasa.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=1 April 1906 |title=Currents in the Straits of Messina |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/073621a0 |journal=Nature |volume=73 |issue=1904 |pages=621–621 |doi=10.1038/073621a0 |issn=1476-4687}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |date=22 January 2025 |title=Strait of Messina Bridge: seismic issues, fault lines, bridge height, ships in transit, suspension cables and other useful information on the project's design – Stretto di Messina S.p.A. |url=https://strettodimessina.it/web/en/strait-of-messina-bridge-seismic-issues-fault-lines-bridge-height-ships-in-transit-suspension-cables-and-other-useful-information-on-the-projects-design/ |access-date=30 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=New Study on Seismicity in the Strait of Messina {{!}} Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche |url=https://www.cnr.it/en/news/13807/new-study-on-seismicity-in-the-strait-of-messina |access-date=30 October 2025 |website=cnr.it}}</ref> | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
{{More citations needed|section|date=November 2024}} | {{More citations needed|section|date=November 2024}} | ||
The idea of a bridge crossing the strait is an old one. The [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] considered building a bridge joining Calabria and Sicily | The idea of a bridge crossing the strait is an old one. The [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] considered building a bridge joining Calabria and Sicily, which was to be constructed from boats and barrels. [[Pliny the Elder]], a philosopher and Roman military leader born in AD 23, wrote of a plan to bridge the strait with a series of connecting boats. The idea was abandoned, as it was clear that more traffic plied the strait in a north-south rather than east-west direction, so any structure on water could not be permanent.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://italicsmag.com/2021/06/03/when-planning-a-bridge-is-no-small-decision/ | title=When Planning a Bridge is No Small Decision |website=italicsmag.com | date=3 June 2021 | access-date=7 August 2025}}</ref> | ||
[[Charlemagne]] considered joining the two sides with a series of bridges. This idea was revived by the [[Normans|Norman]] adventurer [[Robert Guiscard]] in the 11th century and by [[Roger II of Sicily]] in the 12th. In 1876, the politician [[Giuseppe Zanardelli]] was convinced that the strait could be linked by either a bridge or a tunnel. In 1866, the public works minister, [[Stefano Jacini]], turned to Alfredo Cottrau, an internationally renowned engineer, to design a planned bridge between Calabria and Sicily. | |||
In 1870, Navone proposed building a tunnel, based on [[Napoleon]]'s idea, under the [[English Channel]]. It was to start at Contesse and pass below Messina and Ganzirri at a depth of {{convert|150|m|ft|abbr=on}}, crossing the strait to Punta Pezzo and resurfacing at Torre Cavallo. | |||
In 1909, a geological study of the strait was published (historical Arch. Sicilian year XXXIV f.1,2). In 1921, a study of an undersea tunnel was released to the Geographic Conference of [[Florence]]. A group of railway [[civil engineer]]s studied the possibility of a suspension bridge, but nothing came of it. | |||
In 1953, the idea was revived by the American civil engineer [[David B. Steinman]], with a plan to build a bridge that crossed the strait using two {{convert|220|m|ft|abbr=on}} towers sunk {{convert|120|m|ft|abbr=on}} into the seafloor. The proposed {{convert|1524|m|ft|abbr=on}} span would have represented a world record, eclipsing the then-longest {{convert|1275|m|ft|abbr=on}} centre span of the [[Golden Gate Bridge]] and longer than the {{convert|2256|m|ft|abbr=on}} [[Mackinac Bridge]], then in planning, with a total length of {{convert|2988|m|ft|abbr=on}}. The proposed [[Messina Type Deck|structure]] was to clear the sea by {{convert|50|m|ft|abbr=on}} for navigation and have two decks—a lower deck carrying two rail lines, and {{convert|7|m|ft|abbr=on}} above, a road deck {{convert|30|m|ft|abbr=on}} wide. The main cables were designed with a diameter of {{convert|1|m|in|abbr=on}}. Construction of the bridge would have required 12,000 workers and cost hundreds of billions of [[Italian lira|lire]]. | |||
==Modern attempts to build the bridge== | ==Modern attempts to build the bridge== | ||
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{{Unreferenced section|date=November 2024}} | {{Unreferenced section|date=November 2024}} | ||
* In the 1960s, a wide variety of proposals were advanced, including everything from submerged tubes to floating struts, [[Float (nautical)|pontoons]], and a revolving central section of the bridge. None turned out to be realistic. | * In the 1960s, a wide variety of proposals were advanced, including everything from submerged tubes to floating struts, [[Float (nautical)|pontoons]], and a revolving central section of the bridge. None turned out to be realistic. | ||
* In 1969 | * In 1969 an international design competition was arranged. | ||
* In the 1970s, feasibility studies were undertaken by the [[Ferrovie dello Stato|state railways]], leading to the creation of a private company with responsibility for planning the strait's crossing. | * In the 1970s, feasibility studies were undertaken by the [[Ferrovie dello Stato|state railways]], leading to the creation of a private company with responsibility for planning the strait's crossing. | ||
* In the 1980s, the [[Stretto di Messina S.p.A.|Messina Strait Company]] was set up with support from the state railways, the regions, and [[Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale | * In the 1980s, the [[Stretto di Messina S.p.A.|Messina Strait Company]] was set up with support from the state railways, the regions, and the [[Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale]]. It concluded that it would be feasible to build a suspension bridge. | ||
* Detailed plans followed in the 1990s, with final approval from the High Council of Public Works (''Consiglio Superiore dei Lavori Pubblici''). | * Detailed plans followed in the 1990s, with final approval from the High Council of Public Works (''Consiglio Superiore dei Lavori Pubblici''). | ||
===First Berlusconi government=== | ===First Berlusconi government=== | ||
[[File:Ponte di messina.jpg|thumb|upright=2|Cross-sectional diagram of the Strait of Messina Bridge]] | [[File:Ponte di messina.jpg|thumb|upright=2|Cross-sectional diagram of the proposed Strait of Messina Bridge. The numbers represent distances in metres.]] | ||
The 2006 plan called for a single-span suspension bridge with a central [[Span (architecture)|span]] of {{convert|3300|m|ft|abbr=on}}. This would have made the span more than 60% longer than the [[1915 Çanakkale Bridge]] in Turkey—currently the [[List of largest suspension bridges|longest suspension bridge]] in the world, at {{convert|2023|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name=LONGEST1>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article5864671.ece Sicily to get longest bridge from TimesOnline] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817040635/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article5864671.ece |date=17 August 2011 }}. | The 2006 plan called for a single-span suspension bridge with a central [[Span (architecture)|span]] of {{convert|3300|m|ft|abbr=on}}. This would have made the span more than 60% longer than the [[1915 Çanakkale Bridge]] in Turkey—currently the [[List of largest suspension bridges|longest suspension bridge]] in the world, at {{convert|2023|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name=LONGEST1>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article5864671.ece Sicily to get longest bridge from TimesOnline] www.timesonline.co.uk {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817040635/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article5864671.ece |date=17 August 2011 }}. Accessed 8 March 2009.</ref> | ||
Plans called for four traffic lanes (two driving lanes and one [[emergency lane]] in each direction), two railway tracks, and two pedestrian lanes. In order to provide a minimum vertical clearance for navigation of {{convert|65|m|ft|abbr=on}}, | Plans called for four traffic lanes (two driving lanes and one [[emergency lane]] in each direction), two railway tracks, and two pedestrian lanes. In order to provide a minimum vertical clearance for navigation of {{convert|65|m|ft|abbr=on}}, the two towers were to be {{convert|382.6|m|ft|abbr=on}} high. This would have been taller than the [[Millau Viaduct]] in France (then the world's tallest bridge, at {{convert|341|m|ft|abbr=on}}). The bridge's suspension system would have relied on two pairs of [[Wire rope|steel cable]]s, each with a diameter of {{convert|1.24|m|in|abbr=on}} and a total length, between the anchor blocks, of {{convert|5300|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name="LONGEST">[http://www.khl.com/magazines/construction-europe/detail/item32130/Italy-revives-Messina-Straits-bridge/ Italy revives Messina Straits bridge from Construction Europe.] www.khl.com {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713150137/http://www.khl.com/magazines/construction-europe/detail/item32130/Italy-revives-Messina-Straits-bridge/ |date=13 July 2011 }} Accessed 9 March 2009.</ref> | ||
The design included {{convert|20.3|km|mi|abbr=in}} of road links and {{convert|19.8|km|mi|abbr=in}} of railway links to the bridge. On the mainland, the bridge was to connect to the new stretch of the [[Salerno]]-[[Reggio Calabria]] motorway (A3) and to the planned [[Naples]]-Reggio Calabria high-speed rail line; on the Sicilian side, to the Messina-Catania (A18) and Messina-Palermo [[Autostrada A20 (Italy)|(A20)]] motorways as well as the new Messina railway station (to be built by [[Rete Ferroviaria Italiana]]).<ref name=PROJECT>{{cite web|url=http://www.strettoweb.com/2013/01/ponte-sullo-stretto-un-maxi-documento-contro-le-bugie-pubblicate-dalla-stampa-locale/59920/|title=Ponte sullo Stretto: un maxi-documento contro le "bugie pubblicate dalla stampa locale"|language=it|publisher=strettoweb.com|date=17 December 2013|accessdate=21 June 2020|archive-date=22 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622145216/http://www.strettoweb.com/2013/01/ponte-sullo-stretto-un-maxi-documento-contro-le-bugie-pubblicate-dalla-stampa-locale/59920/|url-status=live}}</ref> | The design included {{convert|20.3|km|mi|abbr=in}} of road links and {{convert|19.8|km|mi|abbr=in}} of railway links to the bridge. On the mainland, the bridge was to connect to the new stretch of the [[Salerno]]-[[Reggio Calabria]] motorway (A3) and to the planned [[Naples]]-Reggio Calabria high-speed rail line; on the Sicilian side, to the Messina-Catania (A18) and Messina-Palermo [[Autostrada A20 (Italy)|(A20)]] motorways as well as the new Messina railway station (to be built by [[Rete Ferroviaria Italiana]]).<ref name=PROJECT>{{cite web|url=http://www.strettoweb.com/2013/01/ponte-sullo-stretto-un-maxi-documento-contro-le-bugie-pubblicate-dalla-stampa-locale/59920/|title=Ponte sullo Stretto: un maxi-documento contro le "bugie pubblicate dalla stampa locale"|language=it|publisher=strettoweb.com|date=17 December 2013|accessdate=21 June 2020|archive-date=22 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622145216/http://www.strettoweb.com/2013/01/ponte-sullo-stretto-un-maxi-documento-contro-le-bugie-pubblicate-dalla-stampa-locale/59920/|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
The bridge was planned to connect Reggio Calabria to Messina, the two cities that face each other on either side of the strait, in order to form a single metropolitan area. This ambitious urban project was called ''Area Metropolitana integrata dello Stretto'' ("integrated metropolitan area of the strait") or simply ''Città dello Stretto'' ("city of the strait"). Among the controversies surrounding | The bridge was planned to connect Reggio Calabria to Messina, the two cities that face each other on either side of the strait, in order to form a single metropolitan area. This ambitious urban project was called ''Area Metropolitana integrata dello Stretto'' ("integrated metropolitan area of the strait") or simply ''Città dello Stretto'' ("city of the strait"). Among the controversies surrounding the bridge's construction was strong, relentless opposition from various Sicilian nationalist groups, which explicitly objected to the formation of such a metropolitan area.<ref name=PROJECT/> | ||
Among the engineers who participated in the project was [[Giorgio Diana]], who mainly dealt with the [[Aeroelasticity|aeroelastic]] aspect.<ref name=POLIMI>{{cite web|url=https://sandbox.test.polimi.it/il-politecnico/il-politecnico-nella-storia/i-professori-emeriti/giorgio-diana|title=Giorgio Diana – Professore emerito del Politecnico di Milano|website=polimi.it|language=it|access-date=26 July 2024}}</ref> | Among the engineers who participated in the project was [[Giorgio Diana]], who mainly dealt with the [[Aeroelasticity|aeroelastic]] aspect.<ref name=POLIMI>{{cite web|url=https://sandbox.test.polimi.it/il-politecnico/il-politecnico-nella-storia/i-professori-emeriti/giorgio-diana|title=Giorgio Diana – Professore emerito del Politecnico di Milano|website=polimi.it|language=it|access-date=26 July 2024}}</ref> | ||
====Contracting parties==== | ====Contracting parties==== | ||
A construction [[consortium]], led by [[Webuild|Impregilo]], was | A construction [[consortium]], led by [[Webuild|Impregilo]], was selected in 2005, with work set to begin in the second half of 2006. The bridge was designed by Danish architects at [[Dissing+Weitling]] in close collaboration with the Danish engineering firm [[COWI]].<ref>{{Cite news | work=[[BBC News]] | url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4334830.stm | title=Sicily bridge constructor named | date=12 October 2005 | access-date=15 October 2005 | archive-date=16 October 2005 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051016010724/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4334830.stm | url-status=live }}</ref> In March 2006, Impregilo and Stretto di Messina signed a contract assigning final project planning to a general contractor. Impregilo S.p.A., the lead partner, had a 45% share. Other participants were Spain's Sacyr (18.70%), the Italian companies Società Italiana per Condotte D'Acqua S.p.A. (15%) and Cooperativa Muratori & Cementisti-C.M.C. of Ravenna (13%), Japan's IHI Corporation (6.30%), and Consorzio Stabile A.C.I. S.c.p.a (2%).<ref>[http://www.sb-partner.com/press_download/march27.pdf Straits Bridge: Impregilo and Stretto di Messina close contract] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081118194922/http://www.sb-partner.com/press_download/march27.pdf |date=18 November 2008 }}. Accessed 10 March 2009.</ref> | ||
The general contractor would also be assisted by the Danish and Canadian companies [[COWI A/S]], Sund & Baelt A/S, and Buckland & Taylor Ltd., who would handle project engineering. Completion was planned to take six years, at an estimated cost of €3.9 billion.<ref>[http://www.sb-partner.com/press_download/march27.pdf Straits Bridge: Impregilo and Stretto di Messina close contract] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081118194922/http://www.sb-partner.com/press_download/march27.pdf |date=18 November 2008 }}. Accessed 10 March 2009.</ref> | |||
[[File:Akashi Bridge 04.jpeg|thumb|The [[Akashi | [[File:Akashi Bridge 04.jpeg|thumb|The [[Akashi Kaikyo Bridge]], built in 1998 in Japan by [[IHI Corporation]], one of the companies in charge of constructing the Messina Bridge.]] | ||
[[File:Öresund bridge.JPG|thumb|The [[Øresund Bridge]], built in 1999 by [[COWI A/S]], one of the companies to be involved in | [[File:Öresund bridge.JPG|thumb|The [[Øresund Bridge]], built in 1999 by [[COWI A/S]], one of the companies that was supposed to be involved in constructing the Messina Bridge.]] | ||
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On 12 October 2006, the [[Italian Parliament]] voted 272 to 232 in favour of abandoning the plan due to the bridge's "doubtful usefulness and viability" | On 12 October 2006, the [[Italian Parliament]] voted 272 to 232 in favour of abandoning the plan due to the bridge's "doubtful usefulness and viability" and the inability of the already burdened Italian treasury to bear its share of the cost. Transport minister [[Alessandro Bianchi (politician, born 1945)|Alessandro Bianchi]] stressed that the road and rail links leading to the location of the proposed bridge are not capable of supporting enough traffic to make its construction economically feasible. Other reasons for abandoning the plan were earthquake risk and fears that the bridge would enrich the networks of [[organized crime in Italy]], such as [[Cosa Nostra]] and [['Ndrangheta]].<ref name="plans-dropped-bbc" /><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/oct/12/italy.travelnews | title=Italian MPs kill plan to bridge Sicily and mainland | first=John | last=Hooper | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=12 October 2006 | access-date=17 December 2016 | archive-date=18 November 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071118072556/http://www.guardian.co.uk/italy/story/0,,1920199,00.html | url-status=live }}</ref> | ||
===Second Berlusconi government=== | ===Second Berlusconi government=== | ||
In April 2008, [[Silvio Berlusconi]] was re-elected Prime Minister of Italy and vowed to restart the project to build the bridge. The following month, [[Altero Matteoli]], Italy's minister of infrastructure and transport, confirmed the government's intent to restart work on the bridge in a letter to [[Pietro Ciucci]], the president of Società Stretto di Messina.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.bridgeweb.com/Italian-minister-commits-to-Messina-Bridge/1528 |title=Italian minister commits to Messina Bridge | journal=Bridge Design and Engineering |date=27 May 2008 | url-access=subscription | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090706074104/http://www.bridgeweb.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/1488/Italian_minister_commits_to_Messina_Bridge_.html|archive-date=6 July 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In March 2009, as part of a massive new public works programme, Berlusconi's government announced that plans to construct the Messina bridge had been revived, pledging €1.3 billion as a contribution to its estimated cost of €6.1 billion. Berlusconi claimed that work would be completed by 2016. Until 2006, when the project was halted, the work had been assigned to a consortium of Impregilo (now called [[Webuild]]), Condotte d'Acqua, Cooperativa Muratori & Cementisti, and Consorzio Stabile A.C.I., alongside Spain's [[Sacyr]] and Japan's [[IHI Corporation]].<ref name=LONGEST1/> | |||
In December 2009, preparatory work began, with the diversion of the Tyrrhenian railway at [[:it:Cannitello|Cannitello]] on the Italian mainland side of the strait.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://temporeale.libero.it/libero/news/2009-12-23_123444064.html?div-00 |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20160518115430/http://temporeale.libero.it/libero/news/2009-12-23_123444064.html?div-00 |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 May 2016 |title=Ponte stretto: al via i lavori (Straits bridge: Work begins) |date=23 December 2009 |publisher=ItaliaOnLine |language=it }}</ref> | |||
In February 2013, the project was shut down by [[Mario Monti]] | In February 2013, the project was shut down by Prime Minister [[Mario Monti]], for lack of funds.<ref name=sinks/> | ||
===Renzi government=== | ===Renzi government=== | ||
| Line 143: | Line 146: | ||
===Conte government=== | ===Conte government=== | ||
In June 2020, during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Prime Minister [[Giuseppe Conte]] brought up the topic of the bridge, declaring that the government would evaluate the resumption of work without prejudice.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ansa.it/english/news/politics/2020/06/03/use-crisis-to-redesign-country-conte_b7c47e1c-b3ee-4d9e-983d-f8dd69318b75.html | title=Use crisis to redesign country – Conte | work=[[Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata]] | date=3 June 2010 | quote=As for a revived proposal to build a bridge across the Messina Strait to Sicily, Conte said "I will evaluate everything without prejudice". | access-date=5 June 2020 | archive-date=5 June 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605163953/https://www.ansa.it/english/news/politics/2020/06/03/use-crisis-to-redesign-country-conte_b7c47e1c-b3ee-4d9e-983d-f8dd69318b75.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.archyde.com/conte-on-eu-funds-comparison-with-everyone-it-is-not-a-treasure-of-the-government/ |title=Conte: "On EU funds, comparison with everyone, it is not a treasure of the government" |publisher=archyde.com |date=4 June 2010 |quote=And the Messina bridge? "I will also evaluate without prejudice the bridge over the strait."}}</ref> | |||
In April 2021, the CEO of Webuild, [[Pietro Salini]], in a joint [[press conference]] with the [[List of presidents of Sicily|President of the Sicilian Region]], [[Nello Musumeci]], announced that he was ready to build the Strait of Messina Bridge, starting immediately with the work and on the basis of the executive project and construction site approved definitively in 2013. He declared that he already had the four-billion-euro coverage necessary for the construction and that he could obtain the other two necessary for the infrastructures connected to it from private financing.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lasicilia.it/news/politica/409690/il-ponte-sullo-stretto-ce-lo-facciamo-da-soli-il-patto-di-musumeci-con-salini.html |title="Il Ponte sullo Stretto? Ce lo facciamo da soli": il patto di Musumeci con Salini |publisher=lasicilia.it |date=22 April 2021 |language=it}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ansa.it/sicilia/notizie/2021/04/22/ponte-stretto-salini-e-cantierabile-siamo-pronti-a-farlo_414cf169-e59d-4d67-becf-04ae86fde026.html |title=Ponte Stretto: Salini, è cantierabile, siamo pronti a farlo |work=[[Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata]] |date=22 April 2021 |language=it |access-date=22 April 2021 |archive-date=22 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422180946/https://www.ansa.it/sicilia/notizie/2021/04/22/ponte-stretto-salini-e-cantierabile-siamo-pronti-a-farlo_414cf169-e59d-4d67-becf-04ae86fde026.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
===Meloni government=== | ===Meloni government=== | ||
On 16 March 2023, the | On 16 March 2023, the Italian government, under Prime Minister [[Giorgia Meloni]], with [[Matteo Salvini]] as [[Minister of Infrastructure and Transport (Italy)|Minister of Infrastructure and Transport]], approved a decree to proceed with the construction of the bridge by remodeling the existing project.<ref name=approves>{{cite news | url=https://www.ansa.it/english/news/2023/03/17/cabinet-approves-messina-bridge-decree_e1542990-326f-4848-8478-74c045ec86c1.html | title=Cabinet approves Messina Bridge decree – 'Historic day for Italy' says Infrastructure Minister Salvini | work=[[Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata]] | date=17 March 2023 | access-date=20 March 2023 | archive-date=20 March 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320165041/https://www.ansa.it/english/news/2023/03/17/cabinet-approves-messina-bridge-decree_e1542990-326f-4848-8478-74c045ec86c1.html | url-status=live }}</ref> | ||
On 19 March, WeBuild's Pietro Salini said work on the bridge should begin by 2024, with | On 19 March, WeBuild's Pietro Salini said work on the bridge should begin by 2024, with the project scheduled for completion in 2032.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pietro Salini at "Quarta Repubblica": We are ready to build the Strait of Messina Bridge {{!}} WeBuild Group |url=https://www.webuildgroup.com/en/media/press-notes/pietro-salini-quarta-repubblica-we-are-ready-build-strait-messina-bridge/ |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=webuildgroup}}</ref> | ||
On 31 March, the Italian president, [[Sergio Mattarella]] approved the ''Decreto Ponte'' ("bridge decree").<ref name=Stretto>{{cite web |url=https://www.strettoweb.com/2023/03/ponte-stretto-mattarella-firma/1495283/ |title=Il Ponte sullo Stretto è legge: Mattarella firma, il decreto è in Gazzetta Ufficiale |website=strettoweb.com |date=31 March 2023 |language=it}}</ref> | On 31 March, the Italian president, [[Sergio Mattarella]], approved the ''Decreto Ponte'' ("bridge decree").<ref name=Stretto>{{cite web |url=https://www.strettoweb.com/2023/03/ponte-stretto-mattarella-firma/1495283/ |title=Il Ponte sullo Stretto è legge: Mattarella firma, il decreto è in Gazzetta Ufficiale |website=strettoweb.com |date=31 March 2023 |language=it}}</ref> | ||
In April 2025, Salvini announced that construction of the bridge would start in mid-2025 and would comply with all environmental standards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ingiusto |first=Nunzio |date=7 April 2025 |title=Strait Bridge: Construction Sites to Begin in Mid-2025, but Environmentalists Announce New Legal Actions |url=https://www.firstonline.info/en/Strait-Bridge-Construction-Sites-Midway-Through-2025-But-Environmentalists-Announce-New-Legal-Actions/ |access-date=2 June 2025 |website=FIRSTonline}}</ref> | In April 2025, Salvini announced that construction of the bridge would start in mid-2025 and would comply with all environmental standards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ingiusto |first=Nunzio |date=7 April 2025 |title=Strait Bridge: Construction Sites to Begin in Mid-2025, but Environmentalists Announce New Legal Actions |url=https://www.firstonline.info/en/Strait-Bridge-Construction-Sites-Midway-Through-2025-But-Environmentalists-Announce-New-Legal-Actions/ |access-date=2 June 2025 |website=FIRSTonline}}</ref> | ||
== | In August 2025, the Meloni government gave final approval to the project, allowing construction on the bridge to commence. It indicated that it would consider the bridge as a defence-related expense to count towards a [[NATO]] spending target.<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 August 2025 |title=Italy greenlights a $15.5 billion project to build bridge linking Sicily to the mainland |url=https://apnews.com/article/italy-messina-bridge-sicily-calabria-meloni-nato-1a19e957e303c46ff51214d54a2dc6d7 |access-date=6 August 2025 |work=[[AP News]]}}</ref> In September, the United States government said it disapproved of the strategy, calling it "[[creative accounting]]".<ref>{{cite web|title=US warns against counting Messina Bridge as NATO spending |url=https://www.portseurope.com/us-warns-against-counting-messina-bridge-as-nato-spending/ |website=portseurope.com |date=3 September 2025 |access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref> On 30 October, Italy's [[Court of Audit (Italy)|Court of Audit]] rejected the proposal to build the bridge.<ref>{{cite news |title=Italian court rejects Sicily bridge project, dealing a blow to Meloni government |publisher=AP News |date=30 October 2025 |url=https://apnews.com/article/italy-sicily-messina-bridge-project-meloni-court-366830bbfa1b35cc6a7287d636bf594f |access-date=3 November 2025}}</ref> | ||
The bridge has been controversial due to the impact of earthquakes, strong currents in the strait, concerns about disruption of bird migration routes, and possible infiltration of the mafia groups [[Cosa Nostra]] and [['Ndrangheta]] | |||
==Challenges and criticisms== | |||
The bridge has been regarded as highly controversial due to the impact of earthquakes, strong currents in the strait, concerns about disruption of bird migration routes,<ref>{{cite news|title=Sicily locals vow opposition to longest suspension bridge|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/0808/1527458-italy-sicily-bridge/ |date=8 August 2025 |work=[[RTÉ]]}}</ref> and possible infiltration of the mafia groups [[Cosa Nostra]] and [['Ndrangheta]] into construction projects.<ref name=difficult/> | |||
Seismic activity and strong winds have been cited as the largest structural issues the bridge faces.<ref>{{cite web | title=Messina Straits Bridge | url=https://structurae.net/en/structures/messina-straits-bridge |website=[[Structurae]] | quote=The greatest problem in designing the bridge is the aerodynamic stability of the deck under wind as well as seismic activity.}}</ref><ref name="Nature Italy">{{cite news |last1=Sabelli |first1=Chiara |title=A bridge too far? Messina Strait project could finally join Sicily to the mainland |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d43978-024-00039-w |access-date=9 May 2025 |work=[[Nature Italy]] |date=27 February 2024}}</ref> The span must withstand earthquakes with a maximum intensity of 7.8 [[Moment magnitude scale|M<sub>w</sub>]], greater than the [[1908 Messina earthquake]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Strait of Messina Bridge Media Kit |url=https://media.webuildgroup.com/sites/default/files/2025-08/20250806%20scheda%20media%20Ponte%20V12%20ENG.pdf |website=media.webuildgroup.com |publisher=webuildgroup.com |access-date=30 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Seismic issues and faults: the bridge has been designed with measures and criteria that make it one of the most seismically safe structures in Italy and the rest of the world|url=https://strettodimessina.it/web/en/seismic-issues-and-faults-the-bridge-has-been-designed-with-seismic-measures-and-criteria-that-make-it-one-of-the-most-seismically-safe-structures-in-italy-and-the-rest-of-the-world/ |website=strettodimessina.it |publisher=strettodimessina.it |access-date=30 October 2025}}</ref> | |||
In August 2025, thousands of people in Messina protested against the plan to build the bridge.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 August 2025 |title=Thousands march against plan to build massive bridge linking Sicily to Italy's mainland |url=https://apnews.com/article/italy-sicily-bridge-infrastructure-project-environment-mafia-e04b812da96909a43b8e5aabd8f98ab6 |access-date=11 August 2025 |website=AP News}}</ref> | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| Line 166: | Line 173: | ||
* [[Scandinavian–Mediterranean Corridor]] | * [[Scandinavian–Mediterranean Corridor]] | ||
* [[Trans-European Transport Network]] | * [[Trans-European Transport Network]] | ||
* [[ | * [[Messina Type Deck]] | ||
* [[Pylons of Messina]] | * [[Pylons of Messina]] | ||
* [[Intercontinental and transoceanic fixed links]] | * [[Intercontinental and transoceanic fixed links]] | ||
| Line 181: | Line 188: | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
* [https://strettodimessina.it/web/ Bridge design site ] | * [https://strettodimessina.it/web/ Bridge design site ] | ||
* [ | * [https://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45548000/jpg/_45548391_messinabridgeafp1466.jpg Rendering of Messina Bridge] | ||
* [ | * [https://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45548000/jpg/_45548392_messinabridge2466.jpg Aerial rendering of Strait of Messina with the Messina Bridge] | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Strait of Messina Bridge}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Strait of Messina Bridge}} | ||
Latest revision as of 18:34, 10 December 2025
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Template:Use dmy dates Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
The Strait of Messina Bridge (Template:Langx) is a proposed Script error: No such module "convert". suspension bridge across the Strait of Messina, connecting Torre Faro on the Italian island of Sicily with Villa San Giovanni in Calabria on the Italian mainland.[1] If built, it would be the longest suspension bridge in the world and part of the Berlin–Palermo railway axis of the Trans-European Transport Networks.
While a bridge across the Strait of Messina had been proposed since ancient times, the first detailed plan was made in the 1990s, for a suspension bridge. The project was cancelled in 2006 under Prime Minister Romano Prodi,[2] revived in 2009 under Silvio Berlusconi,[3] and cancelled again in 2013 under Mario Monti.[4] It was resurrected again in 2023 under Giorgia Meloni[5][6][7] and received final government approval in August 2025.[8] However, in October, Italy's Court of Audit rejected the proposal.
The proposal has drawn concerns connected with earthquakes, strong currents in the strait, disruption of bird migration routes, and a possibility of infiltration into the bridge's construction by the mafia groups Cosa Nostra and 'Ndrangheta.[9]
Geography
The Strait of Messina is a funnel-shaped arm of sea that connects the Ionian Sea in the south to the Tyrrhenian Sea to the north. The width of the strait varies from a maximum of approximately Script error: No such module "convert"., between Capo d'Alì in Sicily and Punta Pellaro in Calabria, to a minimum of approximately Script error: No such module "convert". between Capo Peloro in Sicily and Torre Cavallo in Calabria.[10] A similar distance separates Pezzo and Ganzirri. At that point, the strait is only Script error: No such module "convert". deep, while in other places, it can reach Script error: No such module "convert". deep. In addition to strong tidal currents, the region's significant seismic activity will pose a challenge to the bridge's construction.[11][12][13][14]
History
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The idea of a bridge crossing the strait is an old one. The Romans considered building a bridge joining Calabria and Sicily, which was to be constructed from boats and barrels. Pliny the Elder, a philosopher and Roman military leader born in AD 23, wrote of a plan to bridge the strait with a series of connecting boats. The idea was abandoned, as it was clear that more traffic plied the strait in a north-south rather than east-west direction, so any structure on water could not be permanent.[15]
Charlemagne considered joining the two sides with a series of bridges. This idea was revived by the Norman adventurer Robert Guiscard in the 11th century and by Roger II of Sicily in the 12th. In 1876, the politician Giuseppe Zanardelli was convinced that the strait could be linked by either a bridge or a tunnel. In 1866, the public works minister, Stefano Jacini, turned to Alfredo Cottrau, an internationally renowned engineer, to design a planned bridge between Calabria and Sicily.
In 1870, Navone proposed building a tunnel, based on Napoleon's idea, under the English Channel. It was to start at Contesse and pass below Messina and Ganzirri at a depth of Script error: No such module "convert"., crossing the strait to Punta Pezzo and resurfacing at Torre Cavallo.
In 1909, a geological study of the strait was published (historical Arch. Sicilian year XXXIV f.1,2). In 1921, a study of an undersea tunnel was released to the Geographic Conference of Florence. A group of railway civil engineers studied the possibility of a suspension bridge, but nothing came of it.
In 1953, the idea was revived by the American civil engineer David B. Steinman, with a plan to build a bridge that crossed the strait using two Script error: No such module "convert". towers sunk Script error: No such module "convert". into the seafloor. The proposed Script error: No such module "convert". span would have represented a world record, eclipsing the then-longest Script error: No such module "convert". centre span of the Golden Gate Bridge and longer than the Script error: No such module "convert". Mackinac Bridge, then in planning, with a total length of Script error: No such module "convert".. The proposed structure was to clear the sea by Script error: No such module "convert". for navigation and have two decks—a lower deck carrying two rail lines, and Script error: No such module "convert". above, a road deck Script error: No such module "convert". wide. The main cables were designed with a diameter of Script error: No such module "convert".. Construction of the bridge would have required 12,000 workers and cost hundreds of billions of lire.
Modern attempts to build the bridge
Early planning stages
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- In the 1960s, a wide variety of proposals were advanced, including everything from submerged tubes to floating struts, pontoons, and a revolving central section of the bridge. None turned out to be realistic.
- In 1969 an international design competition was arranged.
- In the 1970s, feasibility studies were undertaken by the state railways, leading to the creation of a private company with responsibility for planning the strait's crossing.
- In the 1980s, the Messina Strait Company was set up with support from the state railways, the regions, and the Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale. It concluded that it would be feasible to build a suspension bridge.
- Detailed plans followed in the 1990s, with final approval from the High Council of Public Works (Consiglio Superiore dei Lavori Pubblici).
First Berlusconi government
The 2006 plan called for a single-span suspension bridge with a central span of Script error: No such module "convert".. This would have made the span more than 60% longer than the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge in Turkey—currently the longest suspension bridge in the world, at Script error: No such module "convert"..[16]
Plans called for four traffic lanes (two driving lanes and one emergency lane in each direction), two railway tracks, and two pedestrian lanes. In order to provide a minimum vertical clearance for navigation of Script error: No such module "convert"., the two towers were to be Script error: No such module "convert". high. This would have been taller than the Millau Viaduct in France (then the world's tallest bridge, at Script error: No such module "convert".). The bridge's suspension system would have relied on two pairs of steel cables, each with a diameter of Script error: No such module "convert". and a total length, between the anchor blocks, of Script error: No such module "convert"..[17]
The design included Script error: No such module "convert". of road links and Script error: No such module "convert". of railway links to the bridge. On the mainland, the bridge was to connect to the new stretch of the Salerno-Reggio Calabria motorway (A3) and to the planned Naples-Reggio Calabria high-speed rail line; on the Sicilian side, to the Messina-Catania (A18) and Messina-Palermo (A20) motorways as well as the new Messina railway station (to be built by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana).[18]
The bridge was planned to connect Reggio Calabria to Messina, the two cities that face each other on either side of the strait, in order to form a single metropolitan area. This ambitious urban project was called Area Metropolitana integrata dello Stretto ("integrated metropolitan area of the strait") or simply Città dello Stretto ("city of the strait"). Among the controversies surrounding the bridge's construction was strong, relentless opposition from various Sicilian nationalist groups, which explicitly objected to the formation of such a metropolitan area.[18]
Among the engineers who participated in the project was Giorgio Diana, who mainly dealt with the aeroelastic aspect.[19]
Contracting parties
A construction consortium, led by Impregilo, was selected in 2005, with work set to begin in the second half of 2006. The bridge was designed by Danish architects at Dissing+Weitling in close collaboration with the Danish engineering firm COWI.[20] In March 2006, Impregilo and Stretto di Messina signed a contract assigning final project planning to a general contractor. Impregilo S.p.A., the lead partner, had a 45% share. Other participants were Spain's Sacyr (18.70%), the Italian companies Società Italiana per Condotte D'Acqua S.p.A. (15%) and Cooperativa Muratori & Cementisti-C.M.C. of Ravenna (13%), Japan's IHI Corporation (6.30%), and Consorzio Stabile A.C.I. S.c.p.a (2%).[21]
The general contractor would also be assisted by the Danish and Canadian companies COWI A/S, Sund & Baelt A/S, and Buckland & Taylor Ltd., who would handle project engineering. Completion was planned to take six years, at an estimated cost of €3.9 billion.[22]
| Function | Companies | Role |
|---|---|---|
| General contractor Template:Flagicon Eurolink[23] |
Template:Flagicon Webuild (Impregilo until 2012) | Group leader (45%) |
| Template:Flagicon IHI Infrastructure Systems Co., Ltd. | Mandator | |
| Template:Flagicon COWI A/S | Mandator | |
| Template:Flagicon Sacyr | Mandator | |
| Template:Flagicon Società Italiana per Condotte d'Acqua | Mandator | |
| Template:Flagicon Cooperativa Muratori & Cementisti | Mandator | |
| Template:Flagicon Argo Costruzioni Infrastrutture | Mandator | |
| Template:Flagicon Dissing+Weitling | Mandator | |
| Template:Flagicon Sund & Bælt A/S | Mandator | |
| Template:Flagicon Buckland & Taylor | Mandator | |
| Project management | Template:Flagicon Parsons Corporation | |
| Environmental monitoring | Template:Flagicon Fenice | Group leader |
| Template:Flagicon Agriconsulting | Mandator | |
| Template:Flagicon Eurisko NOP World | Mandator | |
| Template:Flagicon Nautilus Società Cooperativa | Mandator | |
| Template:Flagicon Theolab | Mandator | |
| Insurance broker | Template:Flagicon Marsh |
On 12 October 2006, the Italian Parliament voted 272 to 232 in favour of abandoning the plan due to the bridge's "doubtful usefulness and viability" and the inability of the already burdened Italian treasury to bear its share of the cost. Transport minister Alessandro Bianchi stressed that the road and rail links leading to the location of the proposed bridge are not capable of supporting enough traffic to make its construction economically feasible. Other reasons for abandoning the plan were earthquake risk and fears that the bridge would enrich the networks of organized crime in Italy, such as Cosa Nostra and 'Ndrangheta.[2][24]
Second Berlusconi government
In April 2008, Silvio Berlusconi was re-elected Prime Minister of Italy and vowed to restart the project to build the bridge. The following month, Altero Matteoli, Italy's minister of infrastructure and transport, confirmed the government's intent to restart work on the bridge in a letter to Pietro Ciucci, the president of Società Stretto di Messina.[25]
In March 2009, as part of a massive new public works programme, Berlusconi's government announced that plans to construct the Messina bridge had been revived, pledging €1.3 billion as a contribution to its estimated cost of €6.1 billion. Berlusconi claimed that work would be completed by 2016. Until 2006, when the project was halted, the work had been assigned to a consortium of Impregilo (now called Webuild), Condotte d'Acqua, Cooperativa Muratori & Cementisti, and Consorzio Stabile A.C.I., alongside Spain's Sacyr and Japan's IHI Corporation.[16]
In December 2009, preparatory work began, with the diversion of the Tyrrhenian railway at Cannitello on the Italian mainland side of the strait.[26]
In February 2013, the project was shut down by Prime Minister Mario Monti, for lack of funds.[4]
Renzi government
In September 2016, the project was reconsidered by the government of Matteo Renzi.[27]
Conte government
In June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte brought up the topic of the bridge, declaring that the government would evaluate the resumption of work without prejudice.[28][29]
In April 2021, the CEO of Webuild, Pietro Salini, in a joint press conference with the President of the Sicilian Region, Nello Musumeci, announced that he was ready to build the Strait of Messina Bridge, starting immediately with the work and on the basis of the executive project and construction site approved definitively in 2013. He declared that he already had the four-billion-euro coverage necessary for the construction and that he could obtain the other two necessary for the infrastructures connected to it from private financing.[30][31]
Meloni government
On 16 March 2023, the Italian government, under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, with Matteo Salvini as Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, approved a decree to proceed with the construction of the bridge by remodeling the existing project.[5]
On 19 March, WeBuild's Pietro Salini said work on the bridge should begin by 2024, with the project scheduled for completion in 2032.[32]
On 31 March, the Italian president, Sergio Mattarella, approved the Decreto Ponte ("bridge decree").[6]
In April 2025, Salvini announced that construction of the bridge would start in mid-2025 and would comply with all environmental standards.[33]
In August 2025, the Meloni government gave final approval to the project, allowing construction on the bridge to commence. It indicated that it would consider the bridge as a defence-related expense to count towards a NATO spending target.[34] In September, the United States government said it disapproved of the strategy, calling it "creative accounting".[35] On 30 October, Italy's Court of Audit rejected the proposal to build the bridge.[36]
Challenges and criticisms
The bridge has been regarded as highly controversial due to the impact of earthquakes, strong currents in the strait, concerns about disruption of bird migration routes,[37] and possible infiltration of the mafia groups Cosa Nostra and 'Ndrangheta into construction projects.[9]
Seismic activity and strong winds have been cited as the largest structural issues the bridge faces.[38][39] The span must withstand earthquakes with a maximum intensity of 7.8 Mw, greater than the 1908 Messina earthquake.[40][41]
In August 2025, thousands of people in Messina protested against the plan to build the bridge.[42]
See also
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References
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- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Sicily to get longest bridge from TimesOnline www.timesonline.co.uk Template:Webarchive. Accessed 8 March 2009.
- ↑ Italy revives Messina Straits bridge from Construction Europe. www.khl.com Template:Webarchive Accessed 9 March 2009.
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Straits Bridge: Impregilo and Stretto di Messina close contract Template:Webarchive. Accessed 10 March 2009.
- ↑ Straits Bridge: Impregilo and Stretto di Messina close contract Template:Webarchive. Accessed 10 March 2009.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Further reading
- Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
