Italy has cleared the way to build the world’s largest suspension bridge linking the Italian mainland with Sicily.

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.

  • aramis87@fedia.io
    25·
    3 days ago

    Bridge could count toward NATO spending target

    The project could provide a boost to Italy’s commitment to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP targeted by NATO, as the government has indicated it would classify the bridge as defense-related, helping it to meet a 1.5% security component. Italy argues that the bridge would form a strategic corridor for rapid troop movements and equipment deployment to NATO’s southern flanks, qualifying it as a “security-enhancing infrastructure.”

    A group of more than 600 professors and researchers signed a letter earlier this summer opposing the military classification, noting that such a move would require additional assessments to see if it could withstand military use.

    • Dr. Moose@lemmy.worldEnglish
      16·
      3 days ago

      Wouldn’t all logistics infrastructure apply here because as Ukraine showed defensive war is very much logistics based

      • vodka@feddit.orgEnglish
        23·
        3 days ago

        It does. Literally all infrastructure spending can be used against the 5% spending goal.

        That’s how they got it through, Trump got a bigger number to boast about, NATO countries got to include all infrastructure so that there isn’t really that much of an increase above the 2% spending goal.

        • Capricorn_Geriatric@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          3 days ago

          Wouldn’t that be a net decrease then?

          Assuming the 2% before was on stuff like guns, soldier salaries, weapons, tanks, etc. and fuel/maintenance, does this now not include stuff they were already spending on roads, bridges and raiways?

          • vodka@feddit.orgEnglish
            2·
            3 days ago

            Most countries are not spending more than 3% of their GDP on infrastructure every year as far as I know. Not for the stuff actually covered by this at least.

            It might be a net decrease in defence spending for some countries, but then there’s the argument that infrastructure spending is indeed defence spending.

    • someguy3@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      3 days ago

      This was the reason for the “increased spending” targets, to include basic infrastructure.

      As for withstand military use, it can either take the weight or it can’t. However there is a can it take a missile factor. But honestly that would be there anyway.

    • sleep_deprived@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      2·
      3 days ago

      Honestly if it works economically, I think this kind of infrastructure project should at least partially count towards NATO targets. Not all of war is moving troops, some of it is logistics, keeping your citizenry relatively happy, and an accumulated history of economic investment. If they can manage to get a lot of that money into workers’ hands, that alone is a huge benefit when combined with the transferrable skills you’re reinforcing in your workforce.

      Not that we should have to justify infrastructure as military expenses. But I do think it kinda works.