The Strait of Messina Bridge that will connect Sicily to mainland Italy will become the longest suspension bridge in the world but the current record holder links Asia to Europe
Italy has been given the go-ahead to build the longest suspension bridge in the world that will connect the mainland to Sicily.
Concepts of the colossal bridge, named the Strait of Messina Bridge, have been released, and it would span an impressive 3.3km. The Italian prime minister, Georgia Meloni, said: “It is not an easy task but we consider it an investment in Italy’s present and future, and we like difficult challenges when they make sense.”
However, until that ambitious project, costing an estimated £11.6bn, is finalised, the world’s longest suspension bridge will belong the 1915 Canakkale Bridge in Turkey. The structure connects Asia to Europe and takes six minutes to cross.
Construction across the passage of water (Dardanelles Strait) started in 2017 and it only became open to the public three years ago. Journey times have been cut by up to 93%.
This means 90-minute ferry trips can be avoided by using the bridge that starts in Gelibolu, Turkey, which is based on the European side of the country, to the Asian town of Lapseki.
The 1915 reference pays homage to the Ottoman victory in the First World War, a defeat for Britain which eventually led to the declaration of the Republic of Turkey in 1923.
The bridge stretches 2,203 metres, a nod to the year 2023 when Turkey honoured the centenary of the founding of the republic. Turkey’s President Erdogan previously revealed the mammoth bridge cost €2.5billion (just over £2billion).
He also boasted about the bridge being bigger than the previous record holder – the Askashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan that was built in 1998.
Erdogan said: “Turkey has overtaken Japan, which has the longest bridge in the world in terms of midspan, and has taken the place.”
However, the record may soon go to Italy’s planned Strait of Messina Bridge which would exceed Turkey’s bridge by more than a kilometre.
Seaking of the importance of the 1915 Canakkale Bridge at the inauguration ceremony, South Korean’s former Prime Minster Kim Boo-kyum said: “The 1915 Canakkale Bridge will leave this history of collision and conflict behind and will be a bridge between East and West, starting a new era of peace and prosperity.”
And speaking further after the completion of the project, Erdogan added: “Canakkale, which has been the apple of the eyes of various civilizations, cultures and societies for thousands of years, embraces a brand new future today.
“We have come together to inaugurate the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, which we see as a ruby necklace over the Canakkale Strait.”
The Canakkale Bridge is not only the longest suspension bridge in the world, it is also the second tallest, with the tallest being the Millau Viaduct in France which reaches a staggering 1,125 feet (332 metres) above ground.
The Turkish bridge is 72.8metres high and 45.06m wide and there are six lanes of motorway and two walkways used for maintenance.
According to AP, the Turkish President claimed a reduction of fuel consumption and carbon emissions from the bridge saves the country €415million per year. This would mean that they would have saved £3.3bn over the next decade.