Big bridge, Italian style

Italy is planning to build a two-and-a-half mile long bridge between Sicily and the mainland, with a double six-lane highway and four tracks for high-speed rail. Apparently proponents and opponents have been having at each other for years on this, but now the government has awarded a multi-billion euro/pound/dollar (it's multi-billion no matter the currency) contract for it. See: Sicily bridge constructor named. (Via Dappled Things).