Contractor Webuild began recruiting staff on Friday for the construction of the Messina Strait Bridge, set to be the world’s longest suspension bridge, linking Sicily to mainland Italy.
The announcement comes as government and judicial reviews continue. On September 24, Transport Minister Matteo Salvini said the government would address the Audit Court’s concerns about the project before construction begins later this year, slightly behind schedule.
The CIPESS economic planning committee gave final approval to the €13.5 billion project on August 6. Salvini said the bridge should open to traffic in 2032 or 2033.
Plans include a 3.3-kilometre suspension bridge, 40 kilometres of new road and rail links, three train stations, and a business centre in Calabria.
Originally championed by the late Silvio Berlusconi, the Messina Strait bridge has faced decades of delay due to its high cost, environmental impact, seismic risks, and fears of mafia involvement. The project, first proposed more than 50 years ago, was revived by Salvini after the centre-right coalition’s 2022 election victory.
Webuild said the scheme would provide “thousands of jobs in Calabria and Sicily” and described it as a “project that will change the face of Southern Italy and the entire country.” The firm added that it is focusing on training and hiring while awaiting the Court of Auditors’ final decision.
The Court of Auditors’ Central Section for Legitimacy Control has received the project dossier, with a meeting scheduled for October 29 to review the CIPESS approval.
Opposition leaders have urged the government to suspend the project. Green party leader Angelo Bonelli said the review means Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni should halt it entirely, while Democratic Party MP Anthony Barbagallo claimed Salvini and his “pet project” are now “up a blind alley.”
