Tunnels

At any one time there are a number of tunnel boring machines operating in Australia. These TBMs are big and expensive. When not actively involved in boring tunnels in Australia, they are dismantled and shipped to other countries. At approximately $1 billion per kilometer these machines can't stay idle. But shipping them around the world costs money too.

To build a tunnel under the Blue Mountains from Penrith to Lithgow might cost say $50 billion. It's not worth it. If the Australian Government said build it for $15 billion and you can stop and start when you like. That means any TBM rather than being shipped overseas, can still earn an income in Australia between real full paying jobs. 

I assume all TBMs are the same. So the offer goes out to all TBMs operating in Australia. And if an Australian company like Transfield wants to buy their own machine, this offer might lower the cost of holding such a machine because there is no completely zero  idle cost.

Building a tunnel under the Blue Mountains would save a huge amount for the economy because the energy expended going under the Blue Mountains is far less than going over it. The time travelling through a 50 km tunnel at 100 km per hour is 30 minutes. That's a huge saving of time and will open up the western slopes of NSW for development. It will take pressure off the spread of Sydney real estate.

$50 billion is too much to spend. But $15 billion is not. And the more TBMs are working here in Australia the more potentially idle machines might take up this offer. If it takes 10 years to build the tunnel instead of 2 years, who cares. Once the tunnel is complete the savings to the economy start accruing. 

Another type of tunnel I'd like to suggest is the Boring company's skinny tunnelling machine which only fits a single car. But the cost per kilometer is about $10 million. I assume that US dollars. So $15 million roughly for Australian dollars. I would suggest building a tunnel under Parramatta Road from Parramatta to Sydney. The tunnel could only be used by bikes and electric bikes. No high powered means of transport would be allowed. And no petrol vehicles would be allowed. 

If this tunnel proves to be successful then similar tunnels under all major city roads should be built. The cost of building these tunnels is feasible given the potential to get enough cars off the most congested roads in our cities. Also, the more people who live in our cities who don't need a car but can still get around efficiently (and stay fit) the better. 

We just need someone to lock Elon Musk into a contract again. It worked beautifully for him last time. Why couldn't it work again? $15 million x 35 km (which is the length of Parramatta Road) is $525 million. I'd take the risk to see if there is an entirely new way of getting around the city safely. The problem is that it hasn't been done before, so no Government wants to be the first in case it doesn't work. 

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