Minister Salvini presented the project of the bridge over the Strait, now expected to be examined by the Cipess. Experts highlight the seismic and geological challenges of a complex and unstable area, where science invites to maximum prudence
Bridge on the Strait: Salvini announces the green light at the street
On May 30, 2025, an assembly chaired by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport was held at the Messina Prefecture, Matteo Salvini.
The meeting, entitled “Bridge on the Strait of Messina. Meeting with production associations and unions”, He brought together exponents of the scientific, technical and union world.
The vice-premier announced that the project passed the last rock of the Environmental impact assessment (via).
Now the dossier passes to Cipess, the Interministerial Committee for economic programming and sustainable developmentled by the premier Giorgia Meloni.
Salvini expressed the hope of being able to start the work by September 2025. The announcement has aroused immediate reactions in the technical and scientific world.
Geologists and engineers analyze the risks of the project
Experts of Geodynamics, Geotechnics, Geophysics, Structural and Environmental Engineering participated in the Assembly.
Many have paid attention to the geological complexity of the Strait area, subject to continuous busty movements.
L’Regional Order Geologists Sicily He recalled the two conferences organized in May 2023, one in Reggio Calabria and one in Messina.
During those meetings, Sicilian geologists faced in detail the issues related to seismic, hydrogeology e geotechnicsalways at the center of the critical debate.
Carlo Doglioni and the faults active in the Strait
In Reggio Calabria he also participated Carlo Doglioniformer president of theNational Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology From 2016 to February 2025.
Doglioni deepened the aspects related to the movements of the earth’s crust, both slow (bradisisms) and sudden (earthquakes).
His intervention highlighted several critical issues in the original project. Many have been corrected in the review currently being evaluated.
The regional order of geologists: “We need maximum caution”
The President of the Geologists of Sicily participated in the meeting with the Minister Paolo Mozzicatowhich we have subsequently interviewed by phone.
Bozzicato underlined the importance of in -depth evaluations in such a fragile territory, the scene of devastating earthquakes in history. But, he added, «We pulled out of the dialectic bridge yes, Ponte no. The objectives set the politics. On this we have been clear from the beginning precisely to avoid exploitation; For a matter of ethics and respect for roles “.
During a previous telephone conversation with Mario Tozzi, the first CNR researcher, the well -known popularizer, reiterated a key point. The Strait of Messina represents The area with the highest seismic risk of the entire Mediterranean basin.
“The bridge will not amplify the seismic waves”
A very complex theme, this, that Mauro Corrao, geologist and geophysician former president of the Regional Order of Geologists of Sicily, has faced geophysical and local seismic response in a geophysical response.
According to Corrao – explained Mozzicato – the length of the bridge structure, can never interfere with the frequency of the site, there could never be constructive interference and, therefore, an amplification that could determine the collapse of the structure.
“On the contrary -continues severed -,, I remember he said – Corrao – I would worry more about the cities of Messina and Reggio Calabria that they would probably not be able to contain such a strong seismic shock -referring to the magnitude of 7.1–7.2 (Richter scale) followed by a devastating tsunami which on December 28, 1908 destroyed almost totally Messina and Reggio Calabria, causing 80 thousand deaths -, while the bridge would remain standing. The next day to this thing on this thing did a sound -back – underlines the geologist – saying that he too would have worried more than the cities of Messina and Reggio Calabria and therefore to use the resources for the safety of the two cities “.
A more political than scientific position
«Then I read between the lines – continues severed – that the position is more political than scientific, the one advanced by Tozzi. Tozzi spoke to a personal basis – ma – It is not fair to give him the cutting of politics to such an important thing ».
However, despite the position of the National Council of Geologists, CNG, so the geologists at national level have not taken a position on the realization, those oriented a little more left, which are more environmentalists, do not agree on the realization of the work.
«The comparison was born on the political opportunity to make it or not to achieve it -insists severed -,, And not on the feasibility of the work ».
A geological fracture between two worlds
The most evident risk, however, remains the presence of two active faults: the African and the Euroasian one. The Strait is in fact in a geologically unstable area, where The two plates move in opposite directions.
This continuous friction generates a deep tension in the subsoil, with unpredictable and often violent effects. For centuries, the area has been the scenario of catastrophic earthquakes that have marked the history of southern Italy.
The ghost of 1693 and the ancestral memory
Born, originally from Ispica, in the Ragusan, he evoked a memory rooted in the collective memory of sweating Sicily. «We remember the earthquake of 1693 here. It was a disaster. It was a disaster. And we are the ancestral fear of suffering another. The order of magnitude is that, 7.4-7.5. This is the earthquake you expect ».
According to geologists, a similar event is not only possible, but probable. Science cannot predict when, but confirms its concrete possibility.
Building in a seismic area is an extreme challenge
An unprecedented engineering challenge in Europe. A colossal work in an area with very high geological risk. The dream of the stable connection between Sicily and continent clashes with the limits imposed by nature and science.
The construction of a titanic structure such as the Bridge on the Strait of Messina It imposes maximum prudence and multidisciplinary analysis. Each calculation must take into account violent shocks, soil deformations and sudden movements of the faults.
Build half on a “lip” of the fault and half on the other “lip”if the fault suffers an earthquake, becomes a problem
“Fa octopuses exist everywhere -replies the president of the EUR Sicily -, lAnd our cities are dotted with fault. In fact, from the L’Aquila earthquake onwards, seismic microzonation studies have been put in the field, i.e. sector studies preparatory to territorial and urban planning.
If she saw a Mops card, that is, the homogeneous microzone in seismic perspective -hints Paolo Mozzicato -,, You can see that there are urban centers crossed by active faults, faults that move, on which buildings are built. The planner, the urban planner, has a basic tool that allows him to change the expansion address of a city, for example.
If we put the structure halfway on a fault, half of a lip and the other half on the other lip, then if the fault suffers a movement, an earthquake, then what becomes a problem ».