The Italian government on Friday approved a bill to build a bridge across the
Strait of Messina
, an initiative that has been debated without success for decades and now the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Matteo Salvini, has adopted as the banner of his administration.
The project dates back to 2012, when the construction of the bridge that
it would connect the island of Sicily with the Italian peninsula
and the responsible company went into liquidation.
However, the Executive's idea is to resume it with
updates to the new safety
and environmental standards.
The bridge will cross the Strait of Messina, linking Sicily with the rest of the European continent for 3.2 kilometers.
Matteo Salvini, Italian Minister of Infrastructure, announced the construction of the bridge that will link Calabria and Sicily.
"The new authorization process will have to guarantee the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world,
at 3.2 kilometers
, which will be the jewel in the crown of Italian engineering art," the minister promised in a note.
For Salvini, the work will be "an engine of growth" for southern Italy, as well as a
"major tourist attraction."
The bridge will cross the Strait of Messina, linking Sicily with the rest of the European continent, and the project includes the construction of funiculars for the development of international tourism.
"It will be
the most beautiful, green and safest bridge in the world,
certified by the greatest engineers from the best universities," emphasized the leader of the ultranationalist Liga party, describing the date as a "historic day" throughout the country.
The goal is to complete the new executive project by
July 31, 2024
and start the works at the end of that year.
The bridge is designed by the Italian architect
Marchisiana Saverio Adriano.
At the headquarters of the Ministry of Infrastructure there is a model of the bridge, before which Salvini posed with the governors of the regions on both sides, Roberto Occhiuto, from
Calabria
, and Renato Schifani, from
Sicily.
The bridge will cross the Strait of Messina, linking Sicily with the rest of the European continent. It is designed by the Italian architect Marchisiana Saverio Adriano.
The former prime minister and leader of the conservative Forza Italia (FI),
Silvio Berlusconi
, celebrated the approval and promised that "this time" the works will not stop, recalling that the initiative has been debated for 20 years.
In 2021, a report from the Ministry of Infrastructure even ruled out the possibility of linking the strait with
underwater tunnels
and demanded seismic studies, given that the region is susceptible to frequent earthquakes and eruptions of volcanoes, such as
Stromboli or Etna.
The bridge will cross the Strait of Messina, linking Sicily with the rest of the European continent, sparked controversy in Italian society as many believe the 10,000,000 euros it will cost could be used for other, more useful works.
Today, protesters demonstrated in Italy carrying banners with the following phrase: "
a waste of resources
worth 10 billion euros".
The group indicated that this money could be spent on
175 intercity trains and 500 regional trains.
Environmental NGOs also
rejected the bridge
due to "very high and unsustainable environmental, social and economic-financial costs".
(ANSA)
look also
Opened the endless suspension bridge Sky Bridge 721: it is the longest in the world and not suitable for everyone
A fit model ate 4 boxes of fried chicken in minutes and broke her own Guinness record