On April 15, 2024, Italia Nostra, a prominent preservation group, reiterated its opposition to the Strait of Messina bridge project, highlighting its economic and environmental concerns. According to the association, maritime traffic between Sicily and the northern ports cannot be diverted to the bridge due to the undeniable cost advantages of sea transport, with only central Italian routes potentially benefitting.
Economically, Italia Nostra argues that the bridge's influence zone has modest economic significance and that toll revenue would not cover its costs, leaving the state to shoulder the expenses—a stark contrast to self-financing projects like the Eurotunnel.
Furthermore, Italia Nostra contends that the project, as presented to the Environmental Impact Assessment Commission, does not address the criticisms from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility raised in an April 2021 study. This report, prepared by a team of 16 experts, including university professors and ministry officials, raised significant doubts about the project's design, its environmental impact, and its overall utility. It particularly highlighted the need to address issues that suggest a multi-span bridge might be necessary. According to the group, a new environmental assessment should be conducted, considering the many years that have passed since the 2013 opinion.
Concluding its critique, Italia Nostra announced plans to host an international gathering of technical experts to deepen understanding of the bridge project, which, despite numerous technical documents, remains poorly understood.
