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.
I talked to my italian colleague and ge just laughed, saying that this has been the standard nonsense political campaign promise in Italy since forever. Its so dumb it hurts.
He’s right Berlusconi promised to make this bridge for his whole political life, he spent billions of public money to research for possibilities on how to make the bridge and all expert said it would be an ecological and humanitarian disaster that won’t last if made. The most optimistic engineer proposed to make a tunnel like the one in the English channel
I’m Italian.
The governments have been talking about it since the 90s. They OK’d 15 billions but will likely cost the double and much of it will be wasted in bureaucracy and corruption. Nonetheless this money will not be spent solely on the bridge, but also to enhance the entire Sicilian railway network.
Also Sicily has 5 millions of inhabitants, it’s a lot of people, served only by slow and downsized boats. It takes hours to go through the strait. Furthermore it’s great both for the people and for the goods to be able to reach Berlin from Palermo by train.
I don’t know whether this is the right choice and whether Italy has enough resources to accomplish that, but if it works out I think it’s a great opportunity.