Bridge to Sicily

The government has approved it and construction can begin. It is expected to be completed in 2032-33. https://apnews.com/article/italy-messina-bridge-sicily-calabria-meloni-nato-1a19e957e303c46ff51214d54a2dc6d7

However, Pliny the Elder started planning a bridge in 23AD, and modern efforts have been happening off and on since the 1960's so I wouldn't start planning a Calabrian-Sicilian road trip anytime soon.

Best of all—the cost will count towards Italia’s NATO contribution.

Book your ferry.

I heard of this "soon to be built" bridge since I was a toddler.

That is correct, but as mentioned it is not the first time they are planning it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strait_of_Messina_Bridge

There's no way it will get built within 10 years and at less than twice the projected cost. I'll be surprised if the permits are even out of the court system in 5 years.

And reports are they want to name it after Berlusconi… Surely there are better historical candidates.

Since Berlusconi was the Prime Minister that had this project started in the 1990s (and restarted again each time that the other side canceled it when the opposition gained control of the parliament), it makes sense that they would try to name it after him.

After all, Milan Malpensa airport is named after Berlusconi since July 2024.

Call me a dinosaur but I'll miss the train on the ferry
Brad

With three car lanes in each direction flanked by a double-track railway, the bridge would have the capacity to carry 6,000 cars an hour and 200 trains a day — reducing the time to cross the strait by ferry from up to 100 minutes to 10 minutes by car. Trains will save 2/12 hours in transit time, Salvini said.
( From the link jeff posted)

The saving in transit time, especially for rail traffic, makes a compelling case to push forward with the project

Don't hold your breath

Along the lines of humorous responses, my mom and dad grew up in Italy.
Dad lived until 90 mom is 96, they learned about this bridge in school. LOL

The saving in transit time, especially for rail traffic, makes a compelling case to push forward with the project

The tectonic activity in the area, though, makes a strong case against

Anyway, the Sicilians and the Calabrese and the Greeks and Romans and Carthaginians and Arabs and Normans have been getting between the two easily for centuries ...

Glad I’m not the only skeptical person out there.

I’m not sure the seismic activity is the principal obstacle. The SF Bay Area is much more seismically active than the Strait of Messina and yet we’ve got some major suspension bridges. Actually an engineer who was part of the team who designed the latest section of the Bay Bridge, opened a few years ago, told me that the biggest challenge for suspension bridges are strong winds rather than quakes.

We’ll see if it will ever be built. So far the biggest obstacle was funding and political will.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHsLlTPpqeg

As Roberto noted, wind is a BIG problem

The tectonic activity in the area, though, makes a strong case against
Well, then, tell that to the Japanese who built high speed railway systems in areas with tectonic movement.

Frankly, I don't care if it's ever built...

In April of this year we took the Trenitalia from Salerno (Rome & Florence before that) to Villa San Giovanni, where our car was shuttled onto the ferry in about 15 minutes, then off we went! About a 25 minute ride across, some stayed in the car but there was opportunity to walk up on deck and watch the traversing. Then we reached Messina, car was hooked up to another train, then off to Taormina. Magnificent, so cool. And very efficient for the Italians...and I'm one of 'em so I know the bureaucracy that's baked into this country's DNA.

And...per person first (business) class from Salerno to Taormina...about 38 Euro per. Cheap entertainment in my book. On Palm Sunday, we had plenty of room to spread out over the 5 hour trip, and look out the window. I'd do it again in a minute.

Jay. I know that bureaucracy is embedded in the Italians’ DNA. However I think after the example California has given with the construction of the California High Speed Rail to nowhere ($14 billion spent in 16 years, with zero miles of tracks laid, before Gov. Newsom halted the project), I think the Italians are to be considered masters of engineering considering that they built the high speed line between Florence and Bologna in 10 years with just 5 billion euro at the beginning of this century, and 50 miles of that line is tunnels under a mountain range.

Signor Roberto--I didn't say the Italians don't have rivals in the bureaucracy corridor...

I have to say, however, that all of our train travels from Florence all the way down to Sicily in April was very enjoyable. Not having validation boxes (or I didn't see them) is a big plus. Only one late train, a Florence/Rome leg where our train was bolloxed up near Milan. No prob, we took an alternate, buying tix and getting credit on the leg we didn't use. Did that after the fact, but still got the credit.

Had us waiting in a very crowded SMN, was able to grab a couple of those mondo Antica sandwiches at the stand out by the tracks!