Thousands of people marched in the Sicilian city of Messina on Saturday to protest a government plan to build a bridge that would connect the Italian mainland with Sicily in a massive $15.5 billion infrastructure project.

But for millennia, generations of travelers have required a boat to cross Messina Strait separating Sicily and the mainland. Historical records indicate the desire to build a bridge connecting the landmasses dates as far back as ancient Rome,

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.