Posted on 09/19/2005 2:51:05 AM PDT by Simmy2.5
For decades, underground highways in Southern California were a frustrated commuter's fantasy — too costly, too hard to build and, given the wealth of land, not necessary.
But Los Angeles is in its 18th year as the nation's most congested metropolis, freeways have little or no space for new lanes and traffic experts are running out of time-shaving options.
So civic leaders are joining engineers to consider burrowing the longest highway tunnels in America.
"Tunnels," said Wolfgang Roth, a geotechnical engineer working on one possible project in the Antelope Valley, "may finally have their day."
Three massive projects are under study in Southern California, each dwarfing any of the nation's 337 underground roadways, including the 2.6-mile tunnel in Boston's infamous "Big Dig," the most costly public works project in U.S. history:
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Woohoo! California could have its very own Big Dig! And not just one either!
My thought exactly.
Right over each tunnel entrance will be the quote- "Feeling lucky, Punk."
exactly the thought that I had. Who, in their right mind even considers building an underground highway along a fault line. Can you imagine the number of deaths that will occur should an earthquake hit during rush hour?
I hold my breath and pray everytime I drive thru the Caldecott tunnel in SF's Eastbay. It sits right over the Hayward fault.
On the other hand, I'd hate to be in the tunnels when The Big One hits--or even a Little One.
I hold my breath and pray then too. If you can manage it, the ferry from Vallejo to downtown San Francisco is a nice alternative.
And just how many billions did that little tunnel cost? Add in the fact that all that work has to be done in the Peoples Republic of California and you are talking about the GDM of most smaller countries to do this. You could probably build a skyway over the city for the same cost.
They won't have to bury the dead.
You've planned your burial plot???
NeverGore :^)
Money grows on trees? I seriously doubt the Feds will hand off 14 billion to Cali the way they did to Boston Massachusetts for the "big dig"
Please forgive me for asking such a silly question, but since earthquakes have been known to occur in California from time to time, wouldn't it make more sense to stack the highways above ground rather than dig one below ground?
Then, when they collapse after some 7.5 honker, a study will determine they were built to withstand quakes of up to 7.4. It'll be Bush's fault. The poor and minorities will be disproportionally affected.
Exactly. People think it's dumb to build a city below sea level? Not as dumb as building long tunnels in an earthquake zone.
I assume they will strengthen any tunnels to attempt to withstand a strong earthquake, which will make the project cost 5 times as much and take 3 times as long to complete.
Don't count on it. Here, they hire as much uneducated illegal alien help they can get their hands on and pocket as much as they can. This state is a mess. We have 3/4 of all illegal aliens in this country living in Los Angeles. Bernard Parks is pushing that all home improvement centers house an illegal alien day labor camp outside. The Catholic charities of Los Angeles must be growing tired of sustaining them.
I don't exactly think the Japanese are dumb. They built, among others, a 33-mile tunnel, with over 14 miles of it under water.
Gallows humor aside, the real problem is that government lacks the ability to make new people moving into an already crowded region bear a proportionate share of the cost (since most of them are illegals): instead the poor sods already there wind up paying most of it in taxes.
This is no slight on Mexicans, or illegal immigrants in general; most of whom seem to work hard in my experience. The problem is with the employers who hire them and the politicians who let it all happen, knowing it is economically unsustainable in the long run. And part of the reason employers hire them is because the tax and regulatory environment in California is such that they can't afford to pay wages to attract American citizen workers (of whatever ethnic background).
Around and around it goes. Ain't liberalism wonderful?
People always exaggerate the threats of possible disasters. Like New Orleans, for example. Katrina came, and barely even slightly damaged the place.
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