The Russian government has proposed building a cross-country superhighway that would link to both European and U.S. highway systems. If the Trans-Eurasian Belt Development, which would also include a high-speed rail system, eventually becomes a reality, it might be possible someday to drive from London to New York, by way of Siberia.
That’s about 13,000 miles, so be prepared to stop for a couple of oil changes along the way
Russian Railways Vladimir Yakunin unveiled the idea this spring, at a meeting of the Russian Academy of Science, according to the English-language website Siberian Times.
Yakunin didn’t specify exactly how cars would get across the Bering Strait from Siberia to Alaska, a distance of 47 miles across an expanse of water often filled with ice flows and buffeted by powerful winds. But others have proposed a variety of solutions, including a bridge supported by 200 piers made from a special type of concrete that could withstand the incredible pressures generated by the ice.
An underwater tunnel is another possibility, but constructing beneath the hard, uneven sea floor of the strait would be one of the most difficult public works projects in history. Massive machines would be employed to drill deep into the rock, and the tunnel would have to be sufficiently reinforced to withstand a 7.9 magnitude earthquake in the seismically volatile region.
It’s hard to say how much the superhighway and bridge or tunnel would cost. Global Construction Review vaguely estimated the budget as “trillions of dollars.” Where Russia, whose total annual gross economic output is about $2.1 trillion, would get the funding is unclear.
If the road is ever built, it hopefully will be an improvement over the existing Trans-Siberian Highway, which is only partially paved and has a reputation as one of the world’s most dangerous routes.
From Discovery News
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