Bering Strait Tunnel

Plans approved to build a tunnel under the Bering Strait, connecting Russia with North America!

The Russian government approved plans earlier this month to build a tunnel under the Bering Strait, connecting Russia with North America. At 65 miles long, when the tunnel is completed it will be the longest in world, twice the length of the British Channel Tunnel connecting England and France, which is the current world's longest.

The plan for the new tunnel calls for it to be built in three sections, passing under both the Big Diomede and Little Diomede islands in the Bering Strait. The estimated cost for the project is around $65 million, but is likely to cost more as such projects typically have trouble staying within planed budgets.

The project was brought up in 2007, however was shelved due to a series of issues. Now the project is back alive and closer to being realized than ever before. Nonetheless it will take time, the tunnel itself is estimated to take 15 years to build, while the the complete project is expected to be completed until 2045!

The tunnel is part of a much larger goal to connect Yakutsk in Russia to British Columbia in Canada through a 3,700 mile railroad. The project will consist of high speed rail tracks, a highway, a fiber optic network, as well as pipelines for oil and gas.