Plans for a suspension bridge from the mainland to Sicily are back on

Conversation about connecting these two parts of Italy are picking up traction for the first time in years.
Mount Etna Spews Lava And Ash In Fresh Eruption
Mount Etna Spews Lava And Ash In Fresh Eruption / Fabrizio Villa/GettyImages
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It's a conversation that's been going on for years. The idea of connecting mainland Italy to the island of Sicily has long been debated. Separated by the Strait of Messina which links the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas, the mainland and the island are only 5.3 miles/8.5 kilometers apart at their closest points. Currently, you can get across by boat, train, and air travel, though ferries are a part of that trip.

Plans to build a bridge between the mainland and Sicily have been off and on for centuries. Conversations on the topic go back to Roman times, though serious momentum has only been found since the 2000s. Economic issues and changing governments altered the focus of the project, as tends to happen with massive-scale operations like this. It doesn't take much to derail a project that's budget is in the billions.

Summer season in Cefalu
Summer season in Cefalu / Anadolu/GettyImages

The current administration as breathed new life into the bridge once elected in 2022. As it stands now, the target date for completion is 2030 and it would be the longest suspension bridge in the world when finished. The central span of the bridge will be approximately three kilometers long, allowing for both rail and road travel across the strait. It could change the fortunes of Sicily dramatically, which has seen significant economic issues in the last few decades.

Advocates for the bridge see it as a boon to the economics of Italy, particularly when it comes to trade and tourism. It will also take the stress of the overused ferries. Not everyone is happy, though. Environmentalists are concerned about the damage that will be caused to coastal regions as well as the strait itself. There are also concerns about building such a big bridge in a volcanic region that is prone to earthquakes and eruptions, which creates some significant safety concerns.