The Italian government has granted final approval for the long-awaited construction of a €13.5 billion bridge linking Sicily to the Italian mainland, marking a historic step forward for one of Europe’s most ambitious infrastructure projects.
The 3.7-kilometre bridge, set to span the Strait of Messina between the Sicilian city of Messina and Villa San Giovanni in Calabria, will become the longest single-span bridge in the world once completed.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government revived the project shortly after coming to power in 2022, fulfilling a long-held ambition of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. The project has been discussed for more than half a century but repeatedly stalled over cost, environmental, and seismic safety concerns, as well as fears of mafia infiltration in the construction process.
Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, the project’s most vocal supporter, described the bridge as “a metro over the strait,” saying it would provide a major economic boost to southern Italy. He said construction could begin as early as September or October 2025, following review by the national audit court.
“The Strait of Messina project is without precedent in the world,” Salvini said. “Our goal is to complete it by 2032 or 2033.”
The bridge will be built by a consortium led by Italy’s Webuild Group, in partnership with Spain’s Sacyr and Japan’s IHI Corporation. Webuild CEO Pietro Salini called the project “transformative for the whole country,” estimating that construction would create over 100,000 jobs.
Preliminary works, including archaeological and geological surveys, will begin soon. However, around 4,000 residents on both sides of the strait are expected to be displaced due to land acquisition, sparking continued protests and legal challenges from local communities and environmental groups.
Environmental organizations have filed complaints with the European Union, citing serious ecological and seismic risks in one of Europe’s most earthquake-prone zones. Angelo Bonelli, an MP for the Greens and Left Alliance, condemned the project as “a colossal waste of money.”
The government insists strict anti-corruption monitoring will be enforced to prevent criminal interference in the project’s supply chain.
“If there’s even the suspicion of mafia involvement, the bridge will not be built,” Salvini said.
If completed, the Strait of Messina Bridge will symbolically and physically connect Sicily to mainland Europe — a decades-long dream now closer than ever to reality.
