Bridge over the Stretto di Messina clears technical hurdles, awaits final accounts check
The administrative path for the bridge linking Sicily to Calabria has reached an advanced stage, but the start of construction hinges on a final review by the Corte dei Conti and a new resolution from the Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning and Sustainable Development (Cipess). Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini confirmed from Berlin, where he was attending the InnoTrans trade fair, that his objective remains breaking ground before the end of 2026.
The minister stressed that the final step belongs to the Corte dei Conti, an independent body tasked with overseeing public spending. No date is set yet for the next Cipess meeting, which must adopt a new resolution incorporating observations from the court's auditors.
What stands between the blueprints and the bulldozers
The Consejo Superiore dei Lavori Pubblici, the state's top public works council, gave its unanimous approval to the executive design phase on 6 August 2024, following a cabinet decision on 4 August affirming "imperative reasons of overriding public interest" for the project. However, that technical green light came with more than one hundred binding prescriptions, including requirements to complete geological surveys and tests on active fault lines considered either missing or obsolete.
In late 2025, the Corte dei Conti refused to register an updated agreement with Stretto di Messina Spa, the state-owned company overseeing the project, citing incompatibility with European contract modification rules and uncertainties over cost increases. The government has since adopted legislative measures to address those objections and confirm financial coverage, but the court's final sign-off remains the last formal barrier.
The total estimated cost stands at €13.532 billion, entirely covered by public funds. Of this, €9.242 billion covers the bridge structure itself, along with 40 kilometres of road and rail links, three new railway stations and a operations centre in Calabria.
Toll prices cannot be fixed until the bridge opens
The Autorità di Regolazione dei Trasporti (Art), Italy's transport regulatory authority, told the Senate that setting a specific toll system must wait until closer to the bridge's operational phase. Art president Nicola Zaccheo, presenting the authority's annual report, said tariffs can only be evaluated when actual costs, traffic volumes, and the arrangement of road and rail infrastructure are better defined.
The regulator assessed the current plan as adequate for this stage, but recommended implementing a structured monitoring system to verify financial sustainability over time and ensure risks are correctly allocated among the parties involved. The aim is to catch any deviations from initial forecasts early and adopt corrective measures, protecting the overall balance of the concession.
According to the economic-financial plan, tolls for cars would range between €4 and €7 per crossing, with a weighted annual average of €27.43 per vehicle cited in an Art opinion from May 2026. The regulator approved that plan "with reservations," calling for adjustments on tariffs, risks and financial sustainability.
Political fault lines run deep
Opposition parties including the Five Star Movement (Movimento 5 Stelle), the Democratic Party (Partito Democratico), and the left-wing alliance Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra continue to demand a halt to the project. Following an anti-corruption investigation in June 2026, they filed amendments to abolish the project and liquidate Stretto di Messina Spa, arguing the funds should instead go to families, healthcare and existing infrastructure.
Legal challenges from environmental groups and local authorities, including the Municipality of Villa San Giovanni and the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria, were declared inadmissible by the Lazio Regional Administrative Tribunal (Tar del Lazio) in March 2026. The court ruled that appeals can only be lodged against the definitive approval by Cipess. Activists have vowed to pursue further legal action, including complaints to the European Court of Justice, once that final approval is granted.
If construction proceeds as planned, the bridge would open to traffic around 2034, after roughly seven and a half years of work.
