Is hell about to freeze over? Sicily Bridge update

The Italian government is officially looking for a contractor to complete a bridge that would connect the island of Sicily to the mainland of (Calabria) Italy.   This has been a hotly debated topic of conversation for many years.   The bulding of the bridge has much opposition, mainly from the shipping companies that operate the ferries that currently make the transit, claiming it would cause a huge loss of jobs for the region.

Other opposition comes from Mother Nature...the massive currents in the Straits of Messina would make it a marvelous feat of Italian engineering.  

To combat that, the bridge support towers would be placed on dry land.  

The project is expected to cost 7.5 Billion USD and would finance itself through tolls and has been approved by the European parliament.  

Some of the features of the bridge will include:

• 2.05 mile center span, which would make it the longest suspension bridge
• Would be able to withstand winds of up to 130 mph
• Will have eight lanes of traffic
• Would be able to survive earthquakes up to 7.1 Richter
• Will have two rail lines
• Estimated to carry 100,000 vehicles per day
• Will take six years to complete

Opponents of the Sicily bridge should try to envision all the commerce that could develop between Sicily and Italy should the bridge be completed.   Sicily can export some of its great resources such as citrus, wine, rock salt, etc.   Now taking up to 6 hours to make the crossing, the completion of the bridge would allow traffic to make the trip in a few minutes!

Home of the Colosseum, Lamborghini automobiles, and other great feats of art and engineering, Italy may even surpass itself if she can build a bridge of this magnitude.   This may even be more amazing than the current "Chunnel" that connects England and France.   We'll have to wait and see if they can pull this off...but if anyone can, it is Italy.  

Related links about Sicily

Palermo Hotels - great deals on hotels in Palermo and all over Sicily