The planned bridge connecting Sicily to mainland Italy across the Messina Strait now has an updated cost of €13.5 billion.
Pietro Ciucci, CEO of Stretto di Messina SpA, announced the revised figure on Tuesday during a Unioncamere conference on the project.
“The previous estimate of €12 billion did not account for legally required updates,” Ciucci explained. “We are finalising agreements with contractors and assessing requests from various bodies and Service Conferences. We believe €13.5 billion reflects the current cost.”
Transport Minister and Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini, the project’s latest advocate, described the bridge as a significant anti-mafia initiative earlier this month. “It will create over 100,000 jobs and be the biggest anti-mafia operation imaginable,” he said.
Critics have raised concerns about possible Mafia and ’Ndrangheta infiltration. Salvini dismissed these fears, arguing that economic opportunities from the Messina Strait bridge would counteract organised crime. “The Mafia thrives on desperation and lack of work,” he said. “The bridge will bring jobs, wealth, beauty, and environmental benefits, cutting CO2 emissions to make it one of the greenest bridges globally.”
World’s Longest Suspension Bridge
Once completed in the early 2030s, the bridge will span 3.2 km (over two miles), surpassing Turkey’s 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, which holds the current record at 2,023 metres.
Originally championed by the late Silvio Berlusconi, the project has faced delays due to high costs, environmental concerns, and fears of criminal interference. Salvini has confirmed that construction sites will open by year-end, with a seven-year timeline for completion. However, he said in February work would start in the summer.
Recent design updates include raising the bridge’s height to allow cruise ships to pass underneath, ensuring functionality alongside its record-breaking engineering.
Meanwhile, there are numerous strikes as the national transport infrastructure is failing.
