A gigantic bridge returns to the forefront
The area between Calabria (foreground) and Sicily (background) has already experienced devastating earthquakes, which some say poses a risk if the bridge is built.
Building the world's longest suspension bridge between Sicily and the tip of Italy's boot? Giorgia Meloni's government has revived this costly project, the idea of which was mooted since the unification of Italy at the end of the 19th century, and which many observers believe will never see the light of day. The objective of this titanic undertaking, for which Rome intends to commit 12.7 billion francs: to cross the Strait of Messina in 15 minutes by car thanks to its six-lane highway and to install a railway line.
But this same strait is known for its violent winds, close to 100 km/h, a risk to the stability of the bridge. And this portion of southern Italy lies at the boundary between two tectonic plates and would jeopardize protected nature reserves. Rome is reassuring: the bridge will be at the cutting edge of engineering, and the section suspended between its two pillars would reach 3.3 km. But the main concerns stem from Italy's long history of public works announced, funded, and never completed.
The government is expected to definitively approve the project in June, before construction begins "this summer," promised Infrastructure and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini. Work had already been scheduled to begin in the summer of 2024, but postponements have been commonplace in the history of this bridge.
The minister also claimed that the bridge would create 120,000 jobs in Calabria and Sicily. But Domenico Marino, an economist at the University of Reggio Calabria, said it was unlikely that the long-term job creation would offset the job losses associated with the ferry service cuts. (AFP/FTR)
The Messina bridge represents "hope for young people," Matteo Salvini emphasizes. But many local officials and experts fear that the 'Ndrangheta and Cosa Nostra, the mafias of Calabria and Sicily, will profit greatly from this windfall. Moreover, these regions lack high-speed trains, and water is often rationed due to the dilapidated network. "They want to make an entire region believe that its only hope lies in this bridge that never arrives," laments Luigi Storniolo, an opponent.
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