The pylons holding up the bridge would be two of the tallest steel structures in the world (Picture: Stretto Di Messina)

People visiting Sicily from mainland Italy may no longer have to wait ages for a ferry if plans for a mega-bridge come to fruition – but that could be a very big ‘if’.

Ministers in the Italian government gave the green light yesterday to ambitious proposals for a road connection between Calabria and the Mediterranean island.

It’s the biggest step yet in a decades-long debate over the viability of the idea,which would require a record-breaking bridge costing billions.

The structure would need to span just over two miles across the Strait of Messina,becoming comfortably the longest suspension bridge in the world.

Currently,that record is held by the Canakkale Bridge in north-western Turkey,which is a mere 1.25 miles long.

But the scale of the project is not the only challenge facing engineers,who have been given a deadline of 2032 for completion.

The Sicily bridge would also be located in a notorious earthquake zone,just a few miles from Mount Etna – one of the world’s most active volcanoes.

Then there’s criticism of the potential environmental impact,and concerns over the potential involvement of the mafia – who remain active in the region – in construction contracts.

Nevertheless,Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is optimistic about the mega-project,saying: ‘We like difficult challenges when they make sense.’

The view over the Messina Strait has tantalised Italian engineers for decades (Picture: Reuters)

Another major obstacle is the cost of the plan. Ministers have earmarked €13.5 billion (£11.8 billion) towards it,with the hope that money can be included in Italy’s Nato defence spending target.

A bridge spanning the deceptively short distance between the ‘toe’ of Italy’s ‘boot’ and the island of Sicily has been touted for many years.

Benito Mussolini and the late Silvio Berlusconi are among the many Italian leaders who have declared they will be the one to finally see the project through,only to fall victim to the various complications involved.

The latest plans would involve pylons reaching almost 400m high,around 90m taller than the Shard in London,holding up cables 1.26m in diameter and 5km long.

Once open,the Strait of Messina Bridge would have three road lanes in both directions as well as two service lanes and two railway tracks.