With the government refusing to fund the cost blowout of the proposed upgrade to the Cook Strait ferry service run by KiwiRail, is it time to revisit the idea of a Cook Strait tunnel?
I addressed the feasibility of such a project here: https://kenhorlor.blogspot.com/2016/01/cook-strait-tunnel.html
The government has turned down KiwiRail: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/504650/interislander-ferry-fleet-project-to-wind-down-after-being-denied-further-government-funding
New Zealand is a funny little country at times. It always chases the newest fad, and ditches the old quickly. Problem is, when the fad is no longer viable or is proven to be a dud, nothing is left to revert back to. This is what has happened to NZ's transport network. Rail and coastal shipping have been left to atrophy while the country got carried away with road and air transport. Now, the chickens are coming home to roost. NZ needs to think longer term, keeping all options available for a robust system. This is vital as the country has many rivers, and a long thin country made up of many islands. Keeping the country connected means juggling everything, not just relying on a few options.
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