Italy is set to begin construction of the world's longest suspension bridge, which will connect the islands of Sicily and Calabria in southern Italy. When completed by 2032, the Messina Strait Bridge will have a 3,300-meter-long suspension span. This will surpass the record held by the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge in Turkey, which has a 2,023-meter-long suspension span.
The estimated cost of construction is €13.5 billion (~RM 66.6 billion) and it will have six lanes of road, double tracks for trains and two lanes for maintenance. The two towers that will support the weight of the bridge will be 400 meters high.
The idea of building a bridge across the Messina Strait has existed since Roman times, but technological constraints have prevented it from being built. A regular bridge cannot be built because the strait is used for shipping and is located in an earthquake-prone area.
Although construction plans have been presented, the project still needs to be approved by local residents who are opposed to the construction due to the high cost and impact on water supply. If the opposition continues, residents will be dependent on the ferry service that has existed for centuries.