Italy signs decree for the construction of the world’s longest suspension bridge

Italy signed a decree in March of 2023, concerning the construction of the world’s longest suspension bridge, the Messina Bridge, which will become a law in June.

The bridge, also referred to as the Strait of Messina bridge is planned to connect the Italian mainland with the island of Sicily, and its original bid was awarded in 2006 but the project was later put on pause.

According to the 2006 bid winning consortium, the bridge is planned to have a total length of 3,660m and a deck width of 61m, while the towers’ height will be 399m. The bridge itself is designed to stand 74 meters above sea level.

The project has been budgeted at €4.5 billion for the bridge and an additional €6.75 billion for upgrades in the surrounding area, to be able to facilitate the increased traffic demands, as well as the massive structure itself.

The Strait of Messina, however, poses additional geographic challenges, due to it being located along a seismic fault, responsible for the most devastating earthquake to ever strike Europe, the 7.1 magnitude 1908 Messina earthquake. In addition to this, the area is characterized by very strong water currents which change every six hours, according to NASA.

Design has accounted for the bridge being able to withstand 300 km/h winds and stay open during winds of up to 150 km/h. In addition to this, the structure would be designed to withstand up to 7.5 magnitude earthquakes.

Rendered images of the bridge have been published, where two vehicle traffic and an emergency vehicle lane on each side are shown, as well as train lines in the middle.

The Italian government plans for the project to break ground in July 2024 and be completed in 2030.