The Trans Global Highway also known as the Cosmopolitan Highway is a proposed highway system which links every continent on the Earth via bridges and tunnels.
The Trans Global Highway would physically link by highways and by rail transport, all continents and major population centers, with the present exception of Australia, which, in the future, may be linked via very long suspended, pre-formed, suspended underwater tunnels from extending from the Philippine island chain.
The Trans World Highway would allow rapid transport of raw materials and finished goods from near and far. In addition, the Trans Global Highway would offer a conduit for gas, oil and water pipelines, as well as communication and electric power cables. It should be noted that fresh water is a major issue among arid areas, throughout the world, including the Middle East, western United States, Africa and Central Asia. The Trans Global Highway combined with water pipelines from areas of abundance to arid areas, could benefit humankind even more. Perhaps there is a solution to the theoretical threat of global flooding from melting land ice at the poles, that some people fear. [1]
Opposition
As with almost all major public works projects, such as the Suez Canal, the Panama Canal, the Chunnel, the Alaska Pipeline and others, many people argue that the tunnels, bridges and roads are not necessary. Some present counter arguments stating that existing air and sea transport is adequqte. Many bordering countries are presently at odds with one another, and may not be willing to allow a free moving highway to run through their territories, even with the potential of vast economic benefits.
For the AmerAsian Peace Tunnel across the Bering Strait, a careful engineering study should be made to determine, what, if any effect, would the theory of plate tectonics have upon the proposed tunnels. Today we have many engineering marvels which defy the powers of nature including massive dams, flood water levies and incredible structures, such as Taipei 101, which is presently the worlds tallest building and is built in a major earthquake zone. The slight but predictable changes in plate orientation can be taken taken into consider during the design phase. [2]
History
The first idea to connect the continents was the Cosmopolitan Railway. This idea faded away with the advent of international air travel.
Technical Difficulties
Bering Sea Bridge
One of the major difficulties will be to span the Bering Sea with the Intercontinental Peace Bridge or or AmerAsian Peace Tunnel or Bering Strait bridge.
It is proposed that the tunnel start on the United States side, from the town of Cape Prince of Wales, which has a population of 156 and about 80 buildings, including a large school, streets and general store, and end at the Russian settlement of Naukan or 2 km north at the Dezhnev settlement. The Bering Strait Tunnel would consist of 3 tunnels connecting Alaska and Russia by going through two islands (the Little Diomede(USA) and Big Diomede (Russia)). The longest single tunnel would be 24 miles in length. Since the Bering Sea at the proposed crossing has a maximum known depth of only 170 feet, it is proposed that the tunnel be dug using conventional, modern tunnel boring machines, of the type that was employed in the construction of the Chunnel. The three tunnel proposal would be much preferred over a bridge for a variety of reasons including that fact that during the winter months, the Bering Strait is iced over and a bridge would be subject to sever environmental conditions. Further, in most cases, tunnels are both less expensive to construct and cost less to maintain. Suspended under water tunnels are not suggested for this crossing, because of the shallow depth of the Bering Strait
It should be noted that presently, there are many tunnels around the world that are as long as the longest tunnel needed to complete the Trans-Global Highway. The "Chunnel" linking England with Europe is approximately 31.34 miles (50.45km) long, the ocean tunnel Seikan linking Hokkaidō with Honshu in Japan is 33.46 miles (55.86km) long, while the new Swiss Gotthard tunnel through the Alps, currently under construction, will be 35.7 miles (59.60km) long. There are in fact, 5 tunnels over 30 miles in length, in existence today. [3]
Hokkaidō Sakhalin Asia Tunnel
Japan could technically be connected with mainland Asia via five tunnels (Korea Japan Friendship Tunnel System) extending from the city of Fukuoka on Kyushu to the port city of Pusan in Korea via four islands. The maximum ocean depth in this area is 480 feet. It is also feasible to connect Japan to mainland Asia by constructing two tunnels extending north from Hokkaidō to Sakhalin Island (the Sakhalin Hokkaidō Long Tunnel), which would be 25 miles (42km) long and a second tunnel from Sakhalin to the Siberian Russian mainland (the Sakhalin Asia Short Tunnel), which would only be 4.2 miles (7km) long. Recent estimates are that as much as 20 million tons of goods, manufactured in Japan could be shipped overland via the Russian railroad system, bypassing the current costly shipping costs, that include transit through the Suez Canal. There is a major financial incentive to build the Hokkaidō Sakhalin Asia tunnel. The Sakhalin Island region is very wealthy, being one of the major oil producing regions of the world. [4]
Gibraltar Tunnel
The Gibraltar Tunnel, or EurAfrican Friendship Tunnel, would be a rail tunnel that will link Africa and Europe.
Australia-Papua New Guinea Tunnel
References
See Also
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