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  #1  
Old 24 Aug 2011
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Russia -> Alaska proposed tunnel?
Hey All,

I was recently sent this link which I thought some of you maybe interested in. It seems that there is a proposal to build a tunnel between Russia and Alaska..

Russia plans $65bn tunnel to America - Times Online

I know it's been discussed previously but dam it could make life interesting for rtw motorcycle riders

Regards,

Jimmy
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Old 24 Aug 2011
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Seeing that it took them almost 100 years to make the transiberian highway to Vladivostok, and that there is nothing worthy of being called a road beyond Yakutsk, still 1000s of kms from the tip of Chukotka, I think we might as well wait until the Eurasian continent collides with North America somewhere in what is now the Arctic, and walk across long before that tunnel ever materialises. What a daft story.
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Old 24 Aug 2011
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Originally Posted by danielsprague View Post
Seeing that it took them almost 100 years to make the transiberian highway to Vladivostok, and that there is nothing worthy of being called a road beyond Yakutsk, still 1000s of kms from the tip of Chukotka, I think we might as well wait until the Eurasian continent collides with North America somewhere in what is now the Arctic, and walk across long before that tunnel ever materialises. What a daft story.

Agree.

I don't see any commercial drive behind the tunnel. Anyway preceeding a tunnel there would without a doubt need to be a road then a ferry. Only if usage of the would be road and ferry were high enough to justify a tunnel could it even be considered with any level of sincerity.

Not to mention the economical climate at the moment isn't really inducive of such a perposturous scheme, no matter how much as an overlander it might seem to simplify the Eurasia to America trans continental crossing.
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Old 24 Aug 2011
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I´m no expert, but it does sound a bit far fetched. Usually such massive projects are constructed to connect important industrial and/or business areas, that are relatively close to one another. Like UK & France. Here it wouldn´t be enough to just connect Far-Eastern Russia with Alaska, you´d need to further connect both areas to where the demand is. The distances immediately become so huge, that its much easier and cheaper, possibly even quicker, to send people by plane, and goods by ship.

Don´t mind if I´m wrong, though...
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Old 24 Aug 2011
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Originally Posted by danielsprague View Post
I think we might as well wait until the Eurasian continent collides with North America somewhere in what is now the Arctic, and walk across long before that tunnel ever materialises.
Why wait?
This Guy is has recently done it.

He is walking from Punta Arenas, Chile to the UK without any form of transport (beat that Charley!).

He crossed the Darien Gap and the ice of the Bering Straits from Alaska to Russia. He has currently reached Yakutia, near the Road of Bones.

See his blog Odyssey XXI - Goliath Expedition Blog
and home page odyssey home page the site is being reorganised and previous reports, track traces and many photos are not currently available.
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The article in the first post of this thread is old 'news' having been written 4 years ago.
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Old 22 Oct 2011
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Spotted this on the BBC and thought of this thread.

BBC News - Could a Russia-US rail tunnel be built?
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Old 22 Oct 2011
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Although the Russian Government gave a green light to a tunnel project in August this year, I do not expect to happen in my lifetime! Maybe some younger Hubbers might get see it when they reach my age.

A year or so ago I did hear of vague unconfirmed talk of creating a Federal road from the Kolyma Highway (Road of Bones) to Anadyr. Certainly that road and/or rail would be a preliminary requirement.

Are there similar proposals or long distant thoughts of extending road/rail west of Anchorage or Fairmanks towards the Bering Strait?
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Old 22 Oct 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony P View Post
Why wait?
This Guy is has recently done it.

He is walking from Punta Arenas, Chile to the UK without any form of transport (beat that Charley!).

He crossed the Darien Gap and the ice of the Bering Straits from Alaska to Russia. He has currently reached Yakutia, near the Road of Bones.
.
Walking is pretty much the only reliable way to cross the Darien Gap. I suppose Bering Strait is crossable with a skiff in good weather in the summer and with a snow machine in the winter if you are LUCKY with the ice floes....
It could be a bit boring in a few places, like the West Siberian Plain.
There is talk, as always, of a road and/or railway from Fairbanks to Nome. I'll be lucky if it happens while I can still drive a Unimog.

Charlie
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