The world’s longest single-span suspension bridge just moved forward for the Straits of Messina, which will connect the island of Sicily to the Italian mainland.
With a total length of about 3.7 km and a suspended span of 3.3 km, it will eclipse Turkey’s Çanakkale Bridge by a wide margin.
Indeed, the 13.5 billion euro ($15.5 billion) infrastructure project is considered one of the biggest in the western world.
The bridge is envisioned as a sweeping feat of modern engineering. Its steel towers, each soaring to nearly 399 m (1309 ft!), will support three lanes of traffic in each direction, two railway tracks, and service lanes.
Designed for durability, it’s built to endure winds up to 292 km/h and powerful seismic forces, with an expected lifespan of 200 years.
Costing a massive €13.5 billion, the project promises substantial benefits: up to 120,000 jobs annually, transformative economic growth in southern Italy, and dramatically faster crossings.
As a comparison, the current ferry route of roughly 30–100 minutes could become a mere 10‑minute drive.
The design is led by a consortium that is headed by Italy’s Webuild Group.
While overwhelmingly positive, critics point to seismic dangers and concerns over mafia infiltration for such a huge project.
The clean and pure design of the bridge feels obvious, but also understated, and we feel like it will age gracefully.
Bridges of this magnitude don’t come around often, so we’re excited by the prospect of the build.
Images © Stretto De Messina. Learn more on Designboom.
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