Earlier this month, the nation’s government and the architectural firm Webuild announced final approval measures to begin construction on the world’s longest suspension bridge. At over two miles long, the Ponte Stretto Messina will stretch across the two-mile-long Messina Strait, finally offering a direct transportation link between the island of Sicily and mainland Italy. But for millennia, generations of travelers have required a boat to cross Messina Strait separating Sicily and the mainland. Credit: WebuildThe 2.24-mile-wide Ponte Stretto Messina endeavor seeks to not only dramatically cut down that travel time, but also offer multiple transportation options. Ponte Stretto Messina’s designs trace back over 50 years, each attempt shelved for various political and economic reasons.