Architecture

Fancy a roadtrip? Plan unveiled to connect US and Russia by road

Fancy a roadtrip? Plan unveiled to connect US and Russia by road
If the plan goes ahead, you'll be able to take part in the most epic roadtrip ever (Photo: Serge Bystro)
If the plan goes ahead, you'll be able to take part in the most epic roadtrip ever (Photo: Serge Bystro)
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If the plan goes ahead, you'll be able to take part in the most epic roadtrip ever (Photo: Serge Bystro)
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If the plan goes ahead, you'll be able to take part in the most epic roadtrip ever (Photo: Serge Bystro)

Imagine being able to drive from London to New York, via Russia. While such a trip would take a while and give you a carbon footprint the size of Bigfoot, The Siberian Times reports that it may soon be possible, thanks to the recently-unveiled Trans-Eurasian Belt Development, which would also include a high-speed rail route.

There are very little details available concerning the project at present, and thus we'd recommend treating the news with skepticism – it's by no means the first time such a plan has been in the works, after all. That said, according to The Siberian Times, political heavyweight and head of Russian Railways Vladimir Yakunin unveiled the scheme to a meeting of the Russian Academy of Science in Moscow, so it at least appears to have some semblance of plausibility.

The Trans-Eurasian Belt Development would link Russia with Alaska by road and rail via the Bering Strait, which at its narrowest point measures 82 km (51 m). How exactly this would happen hasn't been explained, though perhaps a very large bridge or a tunnel similar to the Channel Tunnel that connects the UK and France could be constructed. The project would also include pipelines for oil, gas, electricity, and water, according to the report.

"This is an inter-state, inter-civilization, project," Yakunin is quoted to have said. "It should be an alternative to the current (neo-liberal) model, which has caused a systemic crisis. The project should be turned into a world 'future zone', and it must be based on leading, not catching, technologies."

As clear as mud, then, hence our skepticism. The Siberian Times further reports that Mr Yakunin guesstimates the project's cost at "trillions" of dollars, but that he reckons the economic return would be worth the investment. However, in addition to technical hurdles and cost, linking the US and Russia may well prove a very tough sell politically, too.

Source: The Siberian Times

8 comments
8 comments
Wombat56
"Dad, are we there yet?"
Count de Monet
One step closer to Snowpiercer...
JweenyPwee
Very cool idea. However, the security logistics alone would prove to be a nightmare. Theoretically, anybody from virtually anywhere could just drive whatever payload they want into wherever they want.
Plus, besides going on the ultimate road-trip, Flying from Europe/Asia/etc would still be massively cheaper than driving.
London to New York, for an extreme example, would cost potentially a few thousand in fuel at least, compared to a few hundred. Not to mentions travel time. Several hours versus potentially weeks.
JPAR
A train would be a better proposal, and it could link into the Chinese high speed network. (and also the other unlikely proposal to link Beijing to London via high speed rail)
Germano Pecoraro Designer
How much this epic challenge? How many years will take to finish this?
charlieFreak
April fool?
Brett Lewis
If only people could be flown across oceans and continents.
Stone Hardplace
Flying sucks!!!!!!!