Bridge over the Strait: preliminary studies to begin by September for the CIPESS. ‘Opening in 2034’

By September, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and Stretto di Messina company ‘will commence the preliminary investigation’ for the Cipess resolution to approve the final design of the Strait Bridge. This marks a decisive step towards the start of the ‘construction phase’ which, according to the timetable, will lead to the ‘opening to traffic in 2034’.

Minister Matteo Salvini met with the chairman of Stretto di Messina, Maurizio Basile, the chief executive, Pietro Ciucci, and the company’s staff, expressing his ‘satisfaction’ with the work carried out in accordance with the observations of the Court of Auditors, following the recent receipt of a favourable opinion from the Higher Council of Public Works, explains a statement from the ministry. Now that approval has been granted, the Cipess ‘will come into effect’.

This will enable the ‘construction phase’ to begin ‘by the end of the year’, involving the detailed design and the start of the programme of advance works, the MIT emphasises. The timetable provides for “the opening to traffic in 2034”, following 7.5 years of construction work. The construction project will involve companies from across Italia. Once completed, “the bridge will bring about a new era of connectivity for Sicily and Calabria, opening up innovative prospects for quality of life, transport and the economic fabric of the Strait and beyond”, the Ministry concludes.