Italy has approved a $15.5bn suspension bridge which will connect the mainland to the island of Sicily. Italy has given final approval to a long-delayed plan to construct the world’s longest suspension bridge, connecting the mainland to Sicily in a project worth €13.5bn ($15.5bn).

Italy’s government was set on Wednesday to give the final approval to the multi-billion-euro project to build a bridge connecting Sicily to the mainland, paving the way for works to begin after decades of discussions.

Italy has cleared the way to build the world’s largest suspension bridge linking the Italian mainland with Sicily.