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 13.5-billion-euro ($15.

The government says the road and rail link will create jobs and lift the region’s economy, but critics are concerned about the environmental and social impact.

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).