The construction of the tunnel, which is designed to connect Russian Chukotka with American Alaska, may take seven to eight years, one of the authors of the project, Viktor Razbegin, told RTVI. He noted that the underwater facility, the agreement on the development of which was previously announced by the special representative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kirill Dmitriev, may face the problem of drilling through permafrost, but is generally comparable in complexity to those already implemented in the world.
Dmitriev said earlier on Friday on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) that the United States and Russia have signed an agreement on the design of the tunnel, and Asian partners are interested in participating in the development. He spoke about the initiative for the first time last year, noting that the tunnel would allow the two countries to develop partnership in resource development.
Razbegin noted that the process of designing a tunnel under the Bering Strait can take up to two years, taking into account the development of technical characteristics and current cost. Dmitriev previously said that the budget could be less than $8 billion with the participation of Elon Musk’s The Boring Company.
“The geology there is very good. As for passing under the bottom, well, this is no longer difficult and there are plenty of examples. I remember when they were building the Channel Tunnel, it seemed like something absolutely incredible. And now a 15-kilometer expressway has been laid under the bottom of Tokyo Bay, without considering it a feat at all,” Razbegin explained the prospects for construction.
He added that Chinese tunneling experience could also play a role in the shorter project deadlines.
The scientist called the project “global” and noted that its key element should be an underground railway between two continents. In addition to it, the tunnel will house a highway, power lines and Internet cables.
“We shouldn’t talk about payback, this is a project about the future,” Razbegin said.
