Italy's Senate gave its final approval late on Wednesday for the construction of the bridge on the Messina strait connecting Sicily with the mainland of the country.
"It's an historic decision, a definitive one, awaited for more than 50 years," said Matteo Salvini, the country's infrastructure minister.
The suspension bridge will be wind-and-earthquake proof, with a central span of 3.2 to 3.3 kilometers (2 miles) and a height of 63 meters (206 feet).
The massive infrastructure will create 100,000 jobs and will be environmentally friendly, Salvini minister said.
The right-wing government headed by Giorgia Meloni revived the project after many governments toyed with the idea in the past but never managed to kickstart the work.
