A long-delayed and debated span linking the Italian mainland with Sicily cleared a major hurdle Wednesday, allowing work to begin on what would be the world's longest suspension bridge.

The Strait of Messina Bridge would connect Sicily to the rest of Italy over a 2-mile stretch. It's expected to cost 13.5 billion euros ($15.7 billion), which Italy's Presidency of the Council of Ministers says will be completely funded by the public and has already been accounted for in the 2024 and 2025 budget.

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.