Looking at a map the other day, I realized that the only thing separating North America and most of Central America from South America is a narrow body of water right in the middle of Panama. It occurred to me that we could easily form a land bridge between the continents of North and South America. It would take relatively little earth-moving to join these two large land masses into a single giant land mass. I think this plan would help me and most of the other people in North and Central America feel a little more connected with our South American neighbors.-- AO, Jan 07 2004 U.S.-Canada moat http://www.halfbake...ior-Pacific_20Canal [AO, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004] You're a nutter.-- k_sra, Jan 07 2004 With U.S. immigration hysteria being what it is, you might need to fill that body of water with crocodiles etc and make your land bridge a drawbridge which can be raised at will to fight the influx of terrorists who would no doubt otherwise try to exploit such a vulnerability.-- dobtabulous, Jan 07 2004 have you heard of the panama canal and how majorly it contributes to the American economy?-- nomadic_wonderer, Jan 07 2004 no flies on the wonderer-- Worldgineer, Jan 07 2004 Looking at my map I see a similar problem in Egypt, with a narrow body of water dividing Africa and Asia. In the interests of world harmony perhaps both could be filled.-- suctionpad, Jan 07 2004 Next project, a moat between Canada and the U.S.-- FarmerJohn, Jan 07 2004 And a portcullis.-- skinflaps, Jan 07 2004 FJ - I'll bet that US Customs and Irritation already has the moat between Canada and the USA fully planned out. The major issue is how to keep it from freezing, perhaps it could double as a toxic waste dump (always needs more of those) thus adding an extra measure of security.-- rbl, Jan 07 2004 FarmerJohn:ROFL-- theircompetitor, Jan 07 2004 Such a moat has already been proposed. (link)-- AO, Jan 07 2004 Instead of filling in the Panama Canal, I propose we embark on an unreasonably expensive venture to drill a tunnel under the canal for a 6-lane highway and a 4-track rail system. It would boost the economy by providing jobs for years, and encourage tourism by travellers who will want to get off the cruise ships and drive through the tunnel just so they can say they've traversed the panama canal in both directions!
[+] for making me laugh.-- Freefall, Jan 07 2004 [AO] I see, you think alike.-- FarmerJohn, Jan 07 2004 Perhaps you could use the dirt from the U.S.-Canada moat to fill in the Panama Canal, and have plenty left over to build a land bridge through the new moat as well.-- Worldgineer, Jan 07 2004 Shameless plug, AO, and a good idea nonetheless.-- Letsbuildafort, Jan 07 2004 what would Teddy Roosevelt say right now if he knew we wanted to undo his great project?-- benlevi7, Jan 07 2004 "It's dark in here. Let me out of this damn box."-- Worldgineer, Jan 07 2004 How bout fusing all the land masses together and creating New Gondwana land? It would promote world harmony and drive most of the airlines out of business ...-- riskyrisk, Jan 07 2004 Get it; "drive the airlines" ... wait, no it wouldn't!-- k_sra, Jan 07 2004 Don't forget that bit between Spain and Africa.-- oneoffdave, Jan 07 2004 A man, a peg dirbd nal, a land bridge... Panama.-- waugsqueke, Jan 07 2004 The MUSICAL!-- Letsbuildafort, Jan 07 2004 what if you made un underground mag-lev railroad (multiple railways) that operated as the panama canal does now? railways are effictient and fast. hell it could move more cargo then the canal can now, and we could have a land bridge, and no one would catch yellow fever while digging it!-- Space-Pope, Jan 07 2004 It may be easier and more financialy rewarding (for the builders) to install a series of bridges to carry a highway from Florida to Cuba, Haiti, ... down that chain of Carribean islands, ... to Venezuela. It would be a nice follow up project once Iraq is bankrupted by the rebuilding efforts. The US could attack Cuba to clear out all the weapons of math destruction and then make the Cubans pay for the highway project with rum and sugar.-- kbecker, Jan 07 2004 Yep, us Americans would do about anything for rum and sugar.
([wonderer] fixed spelling)-- Worldgineer, Jan 07 2004 [Worldgineer] it's wonderer !-- nomadic_wonderer, Jan 08 2004 mmmm...rum.-- babyhawk, Jan 08 2004 As always, I'm a day late and a comment short... probably missed the joke, too... but... aren't there already numerous bridges or tunnels (road and rail) across the Canal?
I read somewhere (cite not handy, I'd have to dig for it, no pun intended) that the major barrier between North and South America isn't the Big Ditch, but the swampy territory south of it. The Darien Gap, I believe? Hard to build on, and many environmental concerns. Isn't that what kept the Pan-American Highway from completion? My source might be out-of-date... or certifiably insane.
Now, for the serious idea. You know how much I dig tunnels (pun totally intended). Instead of a bridge network using the Carribean islands as stepping stones, how about: The El Caribe Tunnel! We can solve two problems at the same time. Transportation between the Americas, and useful employment for all those tunnel-lovin' drug runners and coyotes along the Mexico/US border.
Love and kisses, FS-- FriendlySkeptic, Nov 07 2005 Someone explain...-- egbert, Nov 07 2005 doesn't seems so silly. they built an tunnel between england and france after all-- daaisy, Nov 07 2005 'Splain what, Lucy?-- FriendlySkeptic, Nov 07 2005 Who's Lucy?-- bristolz, Nov 07 2005 Ricky's wife.-- DrCurry, Nov 07 2005 random, halfbakery