Italy Approves World’s Longest Suspension Bridge Linking Mainland to Sicily

Rome, Italy – August 10, 2025 – Italy has officially approved the construction of the world’s longest suspension bridge, connecting the mainland to the island of Sicily, in a landmark decision that clears decades of political, environmental, and technical hurdles.

The €13.5 billion (USD $15.5 billion) Strait of Messina Bridge project was given the green light by the Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning and Sustainable Development (CIPESS), which oversees strategic public investments.

Described by Transport Minister Matteo Salvini as “the biggest infrastructure project in the West,” the bridge is now set to move from long-standing debate into active development.

Premier Giorgia Meloni called the initiative a “symbol of global significance,” underscoring the national importance of one of Italy’s most ambitious engineering undertakings.

A Project Decades in the Making

First envisioned as far back as Roman times, the idea for a bridge over the Strait of Messina was formally proposed in 1969 but has been approved and cancelled multiple times over the years. Concerns over seismic risks, environmental impact, and organized crime influence delayed progress for decades.

The project was revived in 2023 by the Meloni administration and has now reached its most advanced stage yet.

Once completed, the bridge will stretch nearly 3.7 km (2.2 miles), with a suspended span of 3.3 km (over 2 miles)—surpassing Turkey’s Canakkale Bridge by 1,277 meters (4,189 feet) to claim the record as the longest suspended span in the world.

Engineering, Jobs, and Economic Impact

“Today, Italy has shown once again how it can come together around a mega project that will be transformative for the whole country,” said Pietro Salini, CEO of Webuild, the project’s lead contractor. “The decision made by CIPESS marks the start of a new season of vision, courage and confidence in the capabilities of Italian industry and the entire infrastructure sector.”

Salini added that the project will involve multiple simultaneous work sites, stimulating growth, employment, and lawfulness across southern Italy.

“The Bridge will be fitted with the most advanced technologies for safety and maintenance. It will also be built according to the highest international engineering standards. Talented Italian engineers, managers, and workers from the sector will finally have the possibility to work in their home country on one of the most challenging projects in the world,” Salini continued.

An Integrated Infrastructure Network

The bridge will serve as the centerpiece of a broader integrated infrastructure system, which will include:

Over 40 km of new roads and rail lines

Three underground train stations

Around ten viaducts

Multiple tunnels

A cutting-edge multifunctional center

These complementary works are designed to transform regional mobility, boost economic integration, and more closely connect Sicily with mainland Italy and the broader European transport network.

The bridge will also connect to strategic rail corridors, including the existing Palermo–Catania–Messina line in Sicily and the planned Salerno–Reggio Calabria high-speed/high-capacity railway.

With formal approval secured, Italy is set to embark on a project of unprecedented scale in the Western world, one that promises to reshape the nation’s transport landscape and stand as a new global engineering landmark.