A bridge too far? Why link to Sicily is still a dream despite 2,000 years of plans
Roman dream of building structure over strait of Messina has been revived by officials, despite claims it is unworkable and protests from locals
TL;DR
- The concept of a bridge linking Sicily to mainland Italy dates back over 2,000 years to Roman times.
- The project has been revived by politicians like Matteo Salvini, who aims to build the world's longest suspension bridge.
- Numerous obstacles, including environmental impact concerns, corruption investigations, and scrutiny from the court of auditors, have led to repeated delays.
- Engineers and geologists question the technical feasibility, long-term safety, and seismic resilience of such a massive structure in a highly active tectonic region.
- Opposition groups and locals fear the project's potential environmental damage, financial unsustainability, and the possibility of it being partially built and abandoned.
- The project's economic benefits are debated, with critics suggesting funds could be better used to upgrade Sicily's existing infrastructure.