In the realm of visionary infrastructure, the notion of a tunnel connecting Britain and the United States consistently grabs the limelight. With an astounding projected cost of £15.6 trillion, this colossal endeavour symbolises the drive to diminish physical divides, reinforcing the “special relationship” that spans the 3,400-mile gap between the two countries.
Today, flying from London to New York is roughly an eight-hour undertaking, yet proponents of this transatlantic passageway dream of cutting the journey down to the length of a morning’s commute.
Far from being a new idea; this concept dates back over 100 years and envisions creating a route beneath the expansive Atlantic Ocean, some segments plunging miles deep. For scale, consider the Channel Tunnel a fairly modest 23.5 miles under the English Channel that joins England with France took a challenging six years to construct.
Theories on how to realise the Transatlantic Tunnel vary wildly, from burying it beneath the seabed to positioning it atop, or even combining both approaches. Another innovative idea proposes a buoyant tunnel, hovering around 49 metres below the surface, composed of innumerable prefabricated sections, all tethered securely by cables.
This innovative designwould allow trains to seamlessly travel between continents, bypassing the immense pressure of the deep sea and avoiding maritime dangers above, reports the Express.
The consensus is that the structure would be built for train travel rather than cars, given that car journeys would take several days and necessitate additional infrastructure for driver support. In theory, Vactrains could reach speeds of up to 5,000mph, reducing the London to New York City journey time to just 54 minutes.
Jet propulsion has been proposed as a means to drive the carriages at high speed, although this method would require an 18-minute deceleration period after reaching maximum speed to ensure safe arrival at the destination. Despite the enormous costs and logistical hurdles associated with the idea, no serious proposals are currently being considered by governments on either side of the Atlantic.
While a tunnel connecting Europe and North America may not be on the cards anytime soon, plans are progressing for a link between Europe and Africa. Earlier this year, it was reported that a new underwater tunnel could connect Spain and Morocco by the end of the decade.
The Moroccan National Company for Strait Studies (SNED) has revealed that efforts are currently underway to determine the feasibility of a project from both a financial and logistical standpoint. If constructed, the tunnel would encompass a 17-mile underwater stretch reaching depths of up to 475m.
It would link Punta Paloma, west of Tarifa, with Malabata in northern Morocco, just east of Tangier. This is in contrast to the 23-mile underwater portion of the Channel Tunnel, which only descends to a relatively shallow depth of 75m.
The cost of constructing the two tunnels connecting Europe and Africa remains uncertain, though some estimates suggest it could be around £6bn. This figure also accounts for the construction of a third, maintenance tunnel.
The idea of a tunnel across the Strait of Gibraltar was first proposed 40 years ago and is considered strategically important for both Spain and Morocco, as well as Europe and Africa.