The government in Rome has announced the latest progress in the construction of the Ponte sullo Stretto, which will firmly connect Sicily with the Italian mainland. Transport Minister Matteo Salvini confirmed the start of preparatory construction work for summer 2025 and also highlighted comprehensive anti-mafia monitoring. The combination of the infrastructure push and criminal prevention is attracting attention across the country - not least due to the historical delays and the risk of criminal involvement.
According to Salvini, the first construction measures should begin this summer, provided that the interministerial committee "Cipess" gives the necessary approval by the summer. The transport minister emphasized that the fourth deadline was a sign of seriousness and transparency, not unreasonableness, and announced that the aim was to start preparatory work as early as this "summer period".
The environmental authority had previously given the green light for the environmental assessment of the project, paving the way for the Cipess consultation. The Council of Ministers had already revived the project in March 2023 and reactivated the Stretto di Messina Shareholders' Committee. According to this, the actual bridge construction should be completed by 2032.
Anti-mafia strategy as a central element
Parallel to the expansion of the infrastructure, the anti-mafia mechanism is to be massively expanded. The Ministry of Transport is planning to introduce "rigid and rigorous" control models, such as those already tested for major infrastructure projects such as the Expo, the Winter Olympics and hospital construction in Calabria.
The focus is on:
- Mandatory registration in the anti-mafia register for all companies before contracts are awarded.
- There are no exceptions for emergencies to prevent the controls from being circumvented.
- The deployment of specialized anti-mafia units with continuous on-site surveillance is also planned.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi added that the ownership of the land to be expropriated will also be checked in order to rule out mafia influence in advance. The central control of these checks lies with the Viminale, the Italian Ministry of the Interior (Ministero dell'Interno) and the prefectures to monitor the entire award process.
The Ponte sullo Stretto, planned as one of the longest suspension bridges in the world, would be a monument with a length of 3.6 kilometers, combining six lanes, two railroad lines and emergency lanes. According to current plans, the symbolic start of construction should take place in spring 2025, with completion scheduled for 2032.
A key issue is the fight against mafia infiltration. Back in the 2000s, the anti-Mafia directorate warned of the influence of Cosa Nostra and 'Ndrangheta on bridge plans. The current measures are therefore based on tried and tested models and could set standards for future major projects in Italy.
The ambitious project also promises economic impetus: more than 100,000 direct jobs are to be created. The bridge could therefore contribute to a significant strengthening of the southern Italian transport network and promote local development.
The start of construction, which has been announced for summer 2025, is exemplary of the interplay between infrastructure policy and the rule of law in Italy. The decision to introduce extensive anti-mafia precautions paves the way for a technically demanding and historically significant major project and at the same time sends a clear signal for transparency and safety. Critics and observers will be watching to see whether the implementation lives up to the high political and social expectations.
