The Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning and Sustainable Development (CIPESS) has approved the rail bridge project across the Strait of Messina between Sicily and mainland Italy. With this, the project has entered the construction phase.
The bridge will span 3.3 km, making it the longest suspension bridge in the world. The project will be developed at an investment of EUR13.5 billion and will be publicly funded. The project will comprise two rail lines and six road lines. The bridge will have the capacity to carry 6,000 cars an hour and 200 trains a day.
The project will be developed by Webuild, along with other international and Italy-based partners. Preliminary work is expected to commence by October 2025, once Italy’s court of audit signs off. Construction works are expected to commence by early 2026. They are scheduled to be completed between 2032 and 2033.
The Strait of Messina Bridge has been approved and cancelled multiple times since the government first solicited proposals in 1969.
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