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The key facts about the landmark Sicily Bridge project

The Italian government approved the construction on Wednesday of the longest single-span span bridge in the world, which will connect Sicily with the mainland. This project has been delayed for years due to financial and environmental concerns.

The right-wing Government of Prime Minister Giorgia Melons has allocated 13.5 billion euro ($15.63billion) over the next ten years for its construction and facilities around it.

The following are some key facts about this bridge. They were compiled from data provided by the Italian Infrastructure Ministry and the construction company Webuild.

Webuild is the leader of the Eurolink consortium that has won the contract for the design and construction of the Messina Strait Bridge. The consortium includes the Spanish group Sacyr as well as the Japanese group IHI.

Total Length

The suspension bridge will be the longest in the world, measuring 3.7 km (2.3 mi) long and 3.30 km (2.05 mi) wide.

DECK WIDTH

The deck will have a width of 60 meters, six lanes for road traffic (three lanes in each direction), and two tracks for railways. There will also be two service lanes.

Two towers will stand 399 meters tall, weigh 55,000 tons, and be made of steel. Each tower will be made up of two legs, connected by three crossbeams.

The towers are set on two circular reinforced concrete foundations that will be connected with a crossbeam. The Calabria and Sicily towers will each have a 55-metre diameter.

The four main cables will each have a diameter 1.26 meters and be made of 44,323 wires.

The bridge should remain stable even in winds up to 292 km/h. It has a lifespan of 200-years.

The bridge will remain open 24 hours per day, 365 of the year.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The project involves the construction of over 40 km of new roads, railways and tunnels in Messina, Sicily, as well three new underground stations.

Under full load, the clearance is reduced to 70 meters.

SAFETY

The bridge is designed to withstand earthquakes of major magnitude and wind speeds that are far greater than any previous records in the area.

TIMELINE

Construction should take seven years. The opening is possible in 2032 or 2033.

(source: Reuters)