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Italian Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini confirmed in February that construction of the Strait of Messina Bridge will begin in 2026, a €13.5 billion project with a suspended span of 3,300 meters between Sicily and the mainland, which will be the largest in the world, with towers of 399 meters and steel cables weighing 170,000 tons.
The Strait of Messina Bridge will be built between Capo Peloro in Sicily and Punta Pezzo in Calabria.
According to the Webuild Group, leader of the Eurolink consortium, the construction begins after decades of planning.
According to official data, the total length of the bridge is 3,666 meters, with a suspended free span of 3,300 meters.
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In comparison, the current record-holding bridge is the 1915 Çanakkale in Turkey, with a span of 2,023 meters.
Therefore, Messina will surpass Çanakkale by 1,277 meters — more than 60% larger.
Subsequently, the construction is expected to last eight years, with completion scheduled for 2034.
The towers of the Strait of Messina Bridge will be 399 meters high
According to the project, each tower will weigh 55,000 tons of high-strength steel.
In comparison, the Eiffel Tower weighs 10,000 tons — Messina requires five Eiffel Towers just in towers.
According to IHI Corporation, a Japanese partner of the consortium, the steel used will have a yield strength 1.5 times greater than the standard.
Firstly, this allows for reducing the weight of the structure without losing rigidity.
Secondly, the technology also ensures resistance to earthquakes of magnitude 7.5.
On the other hand, engineers are concerned about the Messina fault, seismically active for centuries.
The steel cables of the Strait of Messina Bridge weigh 170,000 tons
The four main cables will each have a diameter of 1.26 meters.
According to Webuild, the combined steel wires total 940,000 kilometers.
In other words, they would cover 2.5 times the distance between Earth and the Moon.
According to Stretto di Messina S.p.A., responsible for the project, each cable will support 100,000 tons of tension.
Firstly, this is more than the weight of 10 combined Eiffel Towers.
Secondly, cable corrosion is the greatest risk in a maritime bridge.
As reported by Construction Review Online, Webuild will use triple zinc and polymer coating.
While the Salvador-Itaparica Bridge has been debated for 23 years, Italy begins a 3,300-meter project
The Salvador-Itaparica Bridge project in Bahia began being discussed in 2003.
According to the State Regulatory Agency, the project was tendered in 2019 but has not yet started.
In direct comparison, Italy approved Messina in 2024 and begins construction two years later.
According to DNIT data, Brazil has 159,000 kilometers of federal highways with over 2,000 aging bridges.
In other words, the road network needs more investment than Messina just for maintenance.
On the other hand, the Immigration Bridge in Florianópolis, the largest arch bridge in Brazil, was completed in 2026 after eight years.
- Total length: 3,666 meters
- Suspended span: 3,300 meters (world record)
- Towers: 399 meters (world record for a bridge)
- Weight of each tower: 55,000 tons
- Cables: 170,000 tons of total steel
- Cost: €13.5 billion (US$14.8 billion)
- Expected completion: 2034
The Strait of Messina Bridge has a history from the Romans to Salvini
Roman Emperor Caligula ordered the construction of a bridge in 38 AD, but the project did not proceed.
According to Italian archives, the modern project was first proposed in 1969.
According to records, Silvio Berlusconi approved the start in 2009, but Mario Monti canceled it in 2013.
In 2023, the Meloni government reapproved the project with a recalculated new cost.
Subsequently, in February 2026, Salvini confirmed the start for that year.
Similarly, the bridge receives 100% Italian public funding due to its strategic role.
The Strait of Messina Bridge will move 6,000 vehicles per hour and two trains simultaneously
According to the project, the bridge will have six road lanes and two railway lines.
According to studies by Stretto di Messina, the expected traffic is 6,000 vehicles per hour.
In comparison, the Rio-Niterói Bridge in Brazil moves 4,000 vehicles per hour.
In other words, Messina will have 50% more capacity than the largest Brazilian bridge.
Therefore, the crossing time between Sicily and the mainland drops from 1 hour (by ferry) to 10 minutes.
As reported by CBS News, Sicily’s economy is expected to grow by 15% after the bridge opens.
The CPG archive has covered megabridges around the world
CPG recently published about Chinese megabridges with record spans in the site’s archive.
Subsequently, the site published an analysis on bridge infrastructure in Brazil, focusing on delayed projects.
In other words, Messina enters as a European milestone in this global scenario.
On the other hand, there are environmentalists who warn about the project’s impact on the marine ecosystem of the strait.
Next steps: tower foundation begins in October 2026
Firstly, Webuild will begin the tower foundation in the second half of 2026.
Next, the main structure will rise between 2027 and 2030.
Finally, the cables will be installed between 2030 and 2032.
However, some question whether the €13.5 billion budget will hold until completion.
Nonetheless, the Italian government assures that resources are allocated until 2034. Still, the Strait of Messina Bridge will become the European icon of mega-engineering in the 21st century.
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