Posted on 08/06/2025 7:11:01 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
MILAN (AP) — Italy cleared the way Wednesday to build the world’s largest suspension bridge linking the Italian mainland with Sicily in a massive 13.5 billion euro ($15.5 billion) infrastructure project that has been long delayed by debates over its scale, earthquake threats, environmental impact and the specter of mafia interference.
The Strait of Messina Bridge will be “the biggest infrastructure project in the West,” Transport Minister Matteo Salvini told a news conference in Rome, after an interministerial committee with oversight of strategic public investments approved the project.
Premier Giorgia Meloni said that the bridge “will be an engineering symbol of global significance.’'
Salvini cited studies showing the project will create 120,000 jobs a year and accelerate growth in economically lagging southern Italy, as billions more in investments are made in roads and other infrastructure projects accompanying the bridge.
Preliminary work could begin between late September and early October, once Italy’s court of audit signs off, with construction expected to start next year. Despite bureaucratic delays, the bridge is expected to be completed between 2032-2033, Salvini said.
Bridge could count toward NATO spending target The Strait of Messina Bridge has been approved and canceled multiple times since the Italian government first solicited proposals in 1969. Premier Giorgia Meloni’s administration revived the project in 2023, and this marks the furthest stage the ambitious project— first envisioned by the Romans — has ever reached.
“From a technical standpoint, it’s an absolutely fascinating engineering project,’’ Salvini said.
The Strait of Messina Bridge would measure nearly 3.7 kilometers (2.2 miles), with the suspended span reaching 3.3 kilometers (more than 2 miles), surpassing Turkey’s Canakkale Bridge, currently the longest, by 1,277 meters (4,189 feet).
With three car lanes in each direction flanked by a double-track railway, the...
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
I’m sure they considered the option of building a tunnel instead. I imagine cost was the deciding factor in choosing a bridge. But IMO, a bridge in that location is unsightly.
“ Bridge could count toward NATO spending target.”
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My, my, my…. very interesting.
“My, my, my…. very interesting”
Never happen.
“Bridge could count toward NATO spending target”
I guess they’ll drop the bridge on Moscow and say “Take that, Putin!”.
Actually, it’s called cooking the books. The bridge has no military use and if they want to blow $15B on bridges, they should instead be beefing up highway bridges so that tanks can be shipped on them. As it is, we’ll see if Trump catches on to the scam.
Hmmm, this will be up and running before California High Speed Rail. ;-)
I suggest that they call it the Montgomery Bridge, in honor of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery.
I say that because Montgomery‘s slow movement during the Allied invasion of Sicily allowed German troops to escape the island, and get to the mainland.
Yeah l’d say Patton had “Monty’s” number.
Well, I guess earthquakes, or volcanos, don’t happen if intentions are good. Just another easy target...only gotta’ hit one support structure...wonder what a jdam could do.
Would a 20 support structure be safer and be able to take more damage? Could make it look like a Roman aqueduct.
We rewatched Patton a few weeks ago. Montgomery was such a narcissistic fop.
> Yeah l’d say Patton had “Monty’s” number. <
I can’t remember the exact quote, but Patton once said some like this:
Montgomery advances like a timid rabbit.
They are building a tunnel to link the main island of Denmark to the mainland. It will be 11 miles long and handle bothe vehicles and rail.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fehmarn_Belt_fixed_link
An interesting video on the building of the tunnel segments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L4NVIEcb7k&t=8s&ab_channel=AaronWitt
This is the second half showing the marine part of the project.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB7pnOKU_dQ&ab_channel=AaronWitt
Weenie bridge. In Louisiana, there is a bridge between Lafayette and Baton Rouge that is 20 miles long. It is not a suspension bridge though.
They wouldn’t need a bridge at all, if only they would drain the Mediterranean.
Let's see if the Italian gov't lasts long enough to actually get it funded and built *this* time.
Over/under on construction fatalities?
A prefab tunnel might be preferable, apart from the probably ugly effect an earthquake could have on it.
sidebar: Millau viaduct
sidebar: [snip] The Mackinac Bridge is currently the seventh-longest suspension bridge in the world by total suspended length, and the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere. In 1998, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan became the longest in the world, stretching 12,826 feet when measured by total suspended length.
The Mighty Mac is unique among other high-ranking suspension bridges due to its long and fully suspended side spans. It has the fourth-longest side spans in the world. Another high-ranking bridge is the 1915 Canakkale Bridge in Turkey which in 2022, became the world’s longest suspension bridge when measured by main-span length, which is 6,637 feet. Its total suspended length was still less than Akashi Kaikyo at 11,680 feet.
The total length of the Mackinac Bridge is 26,372 feet. The length of the suspension bridge (including anchorages) is 8,614 feet. The length from cable bent pier to cable bent pier is 7,400 feet. Length of main span (between towers) is 3,800 feet.
The width of the roadway is 54 feet. The outside lanes are 12 feet wide (2), the inside lanes are 11 feet wide (2), the center mall is 2 feet wide, and the catwalk, curb and rail width is 3 feet on each side – totaling 54 feet. The stiffening truss width in the suspended span is 68 feet wide making it wider than the roadway it supports.
The height of the roadway at mid-span is approximately 200 feet above water level. The vertical clearance at normal temperature is 155 feet at the center of the main suspension span and 135 feet at the boundaries of the 3,000 ft. navigation channel.
All suspension bridges are designed to move to accommodate wind, change in temperature, and weight. It is possible that the deck at center span could move as much as 35 feet (east or west) due to high winds. This would only happen under severe wind conditions. The deck would not swing or “sway” but rather move slowly in one direction based on the force and direction of the wind. After the wind subsides, the weight of the vehicles crossing would slowly move it back into center position. [/snip]
Wouldn’t doubt it!
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