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Ponte di Messina
Aerial view of the stalled bridge | Ponte di Messina
Grandi Infrastrutture | Ponte di Messina

Costs of the Messina Bridge and Complementary Infrastructure

Bridge of Messina

The Messina Strait Bridge project represents one of the most impressive infrastructure undertakings ever launched in Italy and Europe. The total project value is estimated at approximately €13.5 billion, a figure that reflects both the technical complexity and the political and economic ambition of the initiative.

The investment covers not only the construction of the world’s longest suspension bridge, but also all the necessary ancillary and complementary works to integrate it into the national and European transport system.

Overall Costs

Total Construction Cost (CAPEX) 2025 – 2033: € 13.5 billion

  • Bridge of Messina: € 5.4 billion (40%)
  • Road/Railway Connections (40 km): € 6.75 billion (50%)

  • Complementary/Environmental Works: € 1.35 billion (10%)

  • Additional Cost for Design and Expropriations: € 675 million (5%)

Other Cost 2034 – 2062:

  • Annual Ordinary Maintenance: € 67–90 million

  • Extraordinary Maintenance (every 5 years): approx. € 675 million

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Bridge of Messina

Ponte di Messina

Cost Allocation

The cost allocation follows criteria that balance the main infrastructure, access works, and sustainability measures. Specifically:

  • 40% (approximately €5.4 billion) is allocated to the bridge itself, encompassing the 3,300-meter central span, the 399-meter high towers, the supporting cables, and the combined road and railway deck. This item covers special steel materials, seismic and wind-resistant techniques, as well as monitoring and safety technologies.

  • 50% (approximately €6.75 billion) pertains to the road and railway connection works on both shores, essential for integrating the Bridge into Italian and European infrastructure corridors. This includes highway interchanges, upgrades to the historic railway network, and the link to the future high-speed line.

  • The remaining 10% (approximately €1.35 billion) is dedicated to complementary works, including environmental mitigation, territorial compensations, and support infrastructure such as base camps, logistical areas, and environmental monitoring systems.

Ponte di Messina

Preliminary and Design Costs

A project of this scale extends beyond construction costs alone. The definitive and detailed design, geological and environmental studies, authorization procedures, and land acquisition involve considerable expenses, typically ranging between 5% and 20% of the total cost. For the Messina Bridge, this translates to a variable amount between €675 million and €2.7 billion, largely incurred during the preparatory phase between 2023 and 2025.

Ponte di Messina

Maintenance and Life Cycle

The financial management of an infrastructure on this scale must also account for ordinary and extraordinary maintenance costs over its entire life cycle, estimated to be at least two centuries. Each year, an investment between 0.5% and 2% of the initial value (equivalent to €67–270 million) will be required for maintenance, inspections, and minor upgrades. At longer intervals, on average every five years, more substantial extraordinary interventions are anticipated, costing approximately 5% of the construction cost (i.e., €675 million). These will be necessary for tasks such as renewing the deck or replacing structural components subject to heavy wear.

Ponte di Messina

Comparison and Economic Impact

The total cost of the Bridge is nearly equivalent to the nominal GDP of small sovereign states. However, its economic and strategic significance is justified by the infrastructure’s role in the European TEN-T corridors and in the modernization of Southern Italy. According to independent estimates, the economic return of the infrastructure could exceed the initial investment due to:

  • Increased productivity and logistical competitiveness;

  • Attraction of new investments;

  • Growth in international tourism;

  • Employment benefits linked to both the construction phase and future management.

A report by Uniontrasporti highlights that the Bridge, if integrated into a context of comprehensive planning, could generate a positive impact not only for Sicily and Calabria, but for the entire national economic system, reinforcing Italy’s central role in the Mediterranean.

Detailed Costs of Overall Infrastructure

Cost Stimated 13,5 mld/€ until 2032

 
Cost Item Share (%) Estimated Amount (€)
Main bridge (suspended span, 399 m towers, cables, deck) 40% €5.4 billion
Road and railway connections (Calabria and Sicily) 50% €6.750 billion
Complementary and environmental works (mitigation, compensation, logistics) 10% €1.350 billion
TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS (CAPEX) 100% €13.500 billion
Design and preparation (studies, expropriations, detailed design) 5% extra €675 million
Annual ordinary maintenance 0.5–1% CAPEX €67.5 – 90 million/year
Extraordinary interventions (every ~5 years) ≈5% CAPEX €675 million/event
Note: Figures are estimates based on the 2025 definitive design. Actual amounts may vary based on detailed design, tender processes, and market conditions.

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