The latest news on Italy. The European country has announced plans to connect one of its largest regions to the mainland. A project has been revealed that will see a suspension bridge erected to connect the isle of Sicily with the region of Calabria, a plan that will see a whopping €13.5 billion spent to see it completed.
As per BBC News, the project is dubbed the Messina Bridge, and it's actually a project that has been in the pipeline for some time, frequently being shot down due to its cost, environmental damage, safety, and fears of mafia meddling. However, it has now been approved by Rome, with plans to see the bridge stretching as far as 3.3 kilometres between two 400 metre towers that will support two railway lines and three lanes of traffic on either side too.
In order to support the cost of the project, Rome wants to classify the bridge as a military expenditure, so that it can complete the build and register it as part of its mandated 5% of GDP put towards NATO spending, as is required by the organisation.
It's said that the aim is to finish construction by 2032 or 2033 and that the project could create as many as 120,000 jobs each year, while boosting economic growth in the regions. The concern with the build is that it would put increased strain on the local environment, something Sicily already struggles with due to facing regular droughts.