Italy Approves Project to Link Sicily to the Mainland by Bridge
The government says the road and rail link will create jobs and lift the economy of the region, but critics are concerned about the environmental and social impact.
After 50 years of proposals, and numerous fits and starts, the island of Sicily will finally be linked to the mainland of Italy — if all goes to plan this time.
The Italian transport and infrastructure minister, Matteo Salvini, announced Wednesday that the government had approved a project to build a two-mile bridge that will connect Sicily to the mainland. The project is expected to cost about $15.6 billion.
The suspended single-span bridge, which would be the longest of the kind in the world, would handle both road vehicles and trains, and would link the towns of Messina in Sicily and Villa San Giovanni in Calabria.
In 2011, a less costly project to build a bridge was canceled by Italian lawmakers because of concerns over its price tag — about $5.5 billion at the time — and questions about whether it was needed. The government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni revived plans for the construction of a bridge in 2023, and a government planning committee on Wednesday approved the project announced by Mr. Salvini.
