Strait of Messina Bridge

Objective

To eliminate the slow, weather-dependent ferry bottleneck between mainland Italy and Sicily, linking the island’s expanding high-speed rail and highway networks directly into Europe’s core transport network.

Description

A technically challenging, world-record-setting single-span suspension bridge stretching over 3.3 kilometers across the marine strait, featuring integrated multi-lane roadways and dual high-speed rail tracks.

History

While a bridge across the Strait of Messina had been proposed since ancient times, the first detailed plan was made in the 1990s, for a suspension bridge. The project was cancelled in 2006 under Prime Minister Romano Prodi, revived in 2009 under Silvio Berlusconi, and cancelled again in 2013 under Mario Monti. It was resurrected again in 2023 under Giorgia Meloni and received final government approval in August 2025.

Finance