The bridge over the Strait of Messina: an endless story that returns with every change of government and era.
The idea of connecting Calabria and Sicily is older than Italy itself.
The first attempts to unite the two shores date back to the times of the
Punic Wars
, then Charlemagne also gave us a little thought while in 1840 the King of the Two Sicilies, Ferdinand II of Bourbon, had a feasibility study carried out, as we would say today, for the construction of the bridge but given the too high costs of the work, he gave up like many others after him.
After the unification of Italy,
the bridge project returned to the fore.
In 1866 the Minister of Public Works, Stefano Jacini, commissioned another study to verify the possibility of connecting Scilla and Cariddi with a metal construction but then nothing.
Other projects and ideas will follow that will not lead to change the situation so in 1908 the devastating earthquake of Messina, which will destroy the city, highlights the high seismic risk of the area and so the bridge project is set aside for a very long time.
Fascist Italy resurrected the idea.
But even in this case the proposed plans will end up in the drawer.
After the Second World War
, the reconstruction of the country began and the idea of the bridge over the Strait also fascinated the newly born Republic.
In 1969 an "international competition of ideas" was announced for a road and rail crossing project of the Strait.
143 projects were presented.
3.2 billion lire will be allocated for the preliminary studies, which also represent the initial costs of the State and the Italians to finance a work that has so far only appeared in the papers of architects and technicians.
Among the winning projects there was also that of a mid-water tunnel anchored to the bottom by steel cables, and still a three-span cable-stayed bridge, a single-span suspension bridge, and also some versions of a suspension bridge with three or more spans.
In 1981 the Stretto di Messina company was established
, which became responsible for the design of the work.
After various feasibility studies, the single span suspension bridge solution was approved.
In 1985 the then prime minister, Bettino Craxi, announced that the bridge would be built.
However, once again the planning did not take off and in 1992 with the outbreak of Tangentopoli the work was put in the attic.
But ten years later the new premier, Silvio Berlusconi, relaunched the project.
In 2005, with an offer of 3.88 billion euros, Impregilo won the tender to build the bridge.
In 2006 the company signs the contract.
But when everything seems ready to start the works, Berlusconi loses the elections and with the arrival of the second Prodi government, which considers the bridge "useless and harmful", everything stops.
The executive falls after only two years and the Knight returns to Palazzo Chigi and returns to the construction of the bridge.
This time it will be the sovereign debt crisis that will make every attempt archive.
The technical government of Mario Monti between saving Italy and many expenses to be cut puts an end to the construction of the bridge, announcing that it will not be done and the Strait of Messina company is put into liquidation.
But now the Meloni government plans to reactivate it immediately and five months after the oath, the council of ministers approves the work: "historic day not only for Sicily and Calabria but for all of Italy after 50 years of talk". declares the minister Matteo Salvini.
ANSA Agency
Bridge over the Strait: government ok with project subject to agreements - Politics
Salvini: 'historic day for all of Italy' (ANSA)
