I have been recently scolded for my potty "ideas", so I thought a good, "real" idea was in order. So imagine this; Hawaii is located is a mass of small islands...completely surrounded by water, but they still have a Interstate Highway System. If you don't believe me look it up! Now Hawaii is very far away, and isn't connected to the normal landmass that most consider America, at least not one that I know of (please correct me if I'm wrong) Therefore a tunnel of hope should be built to help cope with this problem. Yes, even though the tunnel would be some 3,000 miles long someone could do it in 24 hours if they kept the civic at least 124mph. They might have to get some sort of auxilary fuel tank...but it is feasible
-- Juleus, Dec 28 2002

Well obviously being in a seismically active area presents a huge problem, but I present a simple solution: have the tunnel be made out of many links, all able to bend with the movements, and being under water, dissipate much of the force
-- Juleus, Dec 28 2002


Well considering matainence...being th e tremendous size of the bridge coupled with salt-water....the bridge would only be located 250 FT under the sea...and the links would be coupled using a low tinsel polymer plastic...able to bend a few feet. With the realitively low pressure condiering these depths...this combination should present no problem.
-- Juleus, Dec 28 2002


Well yes...I first thought of something like Germany's Bullet train which travels at around 140MPH...but I believe cars to be more economical. It is also safer because if a bullet train derailed and "blew-up" you would kill all onboard and impload or flood the tunnel...potentially killing thousands. A car crash on the other hand would present only delays and a few casualites...but really no major damage. Cars also give a better experience...I mean c'mon...a person who is willing to travel "unher da' see" as it were, would certainly prefer to travel by car...
-- Juleus, Dec 28 2002


Instead of an auxiliary tank for the cars, which would have to be huge to store enough fuel for 3,000 miles, build wide sections of tunnel that house gas stations. The gas corporations (Exxon, Mobil, etc.) could sponsor a section of tunnel that has their gas station(s). Hotels might need to be added as well (maybe those floating hotels I've read about somewhere) to give drivers somewhere to rest. Obviously the hotels would sponsor the tunnel as well. Most people probably won't and can't drive for 24 hours, and many probably (here in the US, anyway) can't safely drive at 100+mph (both because of skill and the limits of the car).
-- Bert6322, Dec 28 2002


All of these are good points and some should in fact be implemented...I will give you that most people would be unable to drive in excess of 16 hours straight...without crashing and ending the lives of loved ones and innocent strangers...so floating hotels would then be a neccessity. An electric train would be impossible though...for that to work you would have to have vast ammounts of electricity being pumped thousands of miles. Which might require some other power source. The hotels would be fueled by generators; because people would only need to sleep/rest there and then continue their journey. People would bring food and water with them for the journey, solving the problem of sustinance.
-- Juleus, Dec 28 2002


I read this wrong and thought it was a variation of hullabaloon. #:(
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 29 2002


It's not feasible. The cost of building the tunnel outweighs any fuel savings from using land transport rather than air.
-- bookworm, Dec 31 2002


if [autoboner] is for real ( innocent till proved etc ) then we will have to rename the real autoboner. suggest "fish 'ed"
-- po, Dec 31 2002


Note: Hawaii is part of the interstate system not because you can drive to a different state from there, but because the federal government maintains and operates some of the highways there.
-- snarfyguy, Dec 31 2002


//you would have to have vast ammounts of electricity being pumped thousands of miles. Which might require some other power source//

is [Juleus] confused or am i? pumping electricity?
-- stilgar, Jul 09 2004


Well, it's the electrons that are pumped, but you'd be surprised how far the analogy can be taken.
-- Detly, Jul 09 2004



random, halfbakery