Construction of what would be the world's longest suspension bridge, connecting Sicily and mainland Italy over the Strait of Messina, could begin this year after the final design recently gained approval. The long-delayed project would stretch more than 10,800 feet if completed.

The controversial bridge is estimated to cost approximately $5 billion and take around seven years to build. It will feature three vehicle lanes and a central lane for rail. The structure is also designed to withstand 180-mile-per-hour winds and up to 7.1-magnitude earthquakes. 

The concept has been in the works since the 1960s, and it wasn’t until 2003 that a preliminary design for it was approved. Since then, the project has experienced a cycle of being shelved and revived by various Italian governments in power. Critics of the endeavor have asserted that the bridge has been nothing more than a tool to win votes that would waste billions of dollars.

State-owned sponsor Stretto di Messina SpA (SdM) has long spearheaded the project. In 2005, it assigned the Eurolink consortium, led by Italian industrial group Webuild, to design and build the bridge. A design was approved in 2011 but was halted again. Now, it is this design, with modifications, that has again been approved. 

As reported by Engineering News-Record, various official bodies will now review the scheme while SdM creates a financing plan. SdM hopes to get the green light from the Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning and Sustainable Development by midyear.