Work on Messina Bridge Set to Begin by End of Summer

Rome: Work to build a bridge over the Strait of Messina connecting Sicily to mainland Italy will begin by the end of the summer if the Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning and Sustainable Development (CIPESS) gives the all-clear by the end of June, Transport Minister Matteo Salvini said Monday. The world’s longest suspension bridge is expected to be completed by 2032.

According to Ansa News Agency, Webuild CEO Pietro Salini recently disclosed that the estimated investment for constructing the bridge, along with 40 kilometers of road and rail links, three new train stations, and a business center in Calabria, stands at 13.5 billion euros.

Transport Minister and Deputy Premier Salvini, a strong advocate for the project, emphasized its significance as a major anti-mafia initiative following concerns about potential Mob infiltration. Salvini, leader of the rightwing League, highlighted the project’s potential to create more than 100,000 jobs, describing it as the largest anti-mafia operation conceivable. He dismissed criticisms that suggest avoiding construction due to the presence of Mafia and ‘Ndrangheta in Sicily and Calabria, calling such claims “crazy.”