Tunnel to Alaska

last updated 8 January 2015

Bering Strait

Russian and American developers are planning to build the world’s longest railway tunnel under the Bering Strait, to link Siberia with Alaska. At a conference in Moscow this week, supporters said they would seek backing from the U.S., Canadian, and Russian governments. At 64 miles, the tunnel would be about twice as long as the Eurotunnel, which runs under the English Channel. While the technical challenges are considerable, the economic hurdles are even higher, backers acknowledged, as the tunnel and tracks would cost at least $65 billion. “Big projects are what civilizations need,” said former Alaska Gov. Wally Hickel, an enthusiastic supporter of the plan. “Just to let the world know you can do it.”