Another long rail tunnel is in the works, with a parliamentary committee in Denmark recommending plans to build a 19-kilometer tunnel between Denmark and Germany. Construction is expected to take place between 2014 and 2020. Cost was part of the consideration, with engineers estimating that the tunnel will cost $7 billion to build, slightly less than the cost of a bridge. The tunnel will also contain a 4-lane highway, and will take 2 hours off the travel time between Germany and Sweden.
Eventually, I believe rail tunnels will be needed to connect the world’s major cities, in the same way that cities are now served by airports and seaports. I am encouraged at the prospects for this by the fact that tunnels are being built in some of the most difficult places first.
