The start of work on the Bridge over the Strait of Messina is set for the beginning of 2026. This was recently reiterated by Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, promising that the ambitious infrastructure of the longest suspension bridge in the world – with a single span of 3,300 meters and an overall length of 3,666 meters – will materialise. But looking at reality, the situation appears decidedly more complicated.
The final setback was the Court of Auditors which last October denied legitimacy to the resolution of the Cipess (Inter-ministerial Committee for Economic Planning and Sustainable Development) on the bridge project, raising a series of critical issues.
To find out in more detail the reasons for the rejection we will have to wait a few more days, but at the center of the document sent to the Presidency of the Council some fundamental issues stand out: financial coverage – given the considerable increase in infrastructure costs -, the reliability of traffic estimates; finally, one of the most crucial issues concerns compliance with environmental and anti-seismic regulations.
Various experts have commented on these shortcomings, underlining the unsustainability and risks associated with the work. And to find out more, we asked engineer Alessandro Martelli for clarifications, former Director of the ENEA Research Center in Bologna and Professor of Construction in Seismic Zones at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Ferrara, currently Vice President of the Expert Committee of the International Research Base of Seismic Mitigation and Isolation of Guansu Province (China) and Representative of the GLIS Seismic Commission in the Council of the Local Authorities Technical Association (ANTEL).
Seismic risks should not be underestimated
We remember that the area affected by the construction of the bridge was the scene of one of the worst earthquakes in the history of Europe: on 28 December 1908 a violent earthquake of magnitude 7.1, followed by a tsunami, destroyed the cities of Messina and Reggio Calabria. Around 80 thousand people lost their lives in the catastrophe.
So what dangers do we run by building the bridge over the Strait with the current project? This is just one of the questions that many ask and we asked Dr. Hammers.
“The risk is that the bridge will collapse if an earthquake with a magnitude greater than 7.1 occurs, an earthquake which I believe is possible even with a much higher magnitude. – the expert explains – We need to assume the design magnitude of 7.8, as assessed by well-known seismologists (for example by Prof. Giuliano Panza of Trieste). 7.1 was the only theoretical magnitude of the Messina and Reggio Calabria earthquake of 1908 and, before, that of Southern Calabria in 1783 (then the displacements were not measured and, therefore, reliable magnitude values were not obtained). Then, for a strategic work like the bridge, it is essential to assume adequate safety margins (I remember that the magnitude scale is logarithmic).
The bridge over the Strait of Messina would not be the first (and certainly not the last) built in comparable seismic zones. “For example, in Japan there is the bridge over the Strait of Akashi, with a suspended span almost 2 km long. and in Turkey the bridge over the Dardanelles Strait was built, with a single span of over 2 km, the longest currently existing” recalls Martelli.
What fate for the bridge over the Strait of Messina?
The next few days will be crucial for the future of the controversial bridge (for which an estimated cost of 13.5 billion euros is expected) which should unite Calabria and Sicily: at the end of November, in fact, the Court of Auditors will make known the precise reasons for the rejection of the Cipess resolution.
Meanwhile, debates and conferences on the pros and cons of infrastructure continue throughout Italy. A national procession has been called for November 29th in Messina to say no to the bridge, which will be joined by parties, civic movements and environmentalist associations. The game on the bridge remains to be played.
Sources: Court of Auditors/Webuild
