the 10 Most Expensive Construction Projects
CNN
1. US Interstate Highway System $459b
As of 2015, the US Interstate Highway System has cost taxpayers an estimated $459 billion. The President most responsible for its creation is Dwight D. Eisenhower. His idea behind it was not just about transportation. Since it would help mobilize infantry in an emergency, he proposed the project as being crucial for national defense. The project was started in 1956. It involved creating new routes, and converting old ones to serve as interstates. The first state to complete all of its internal parts for the Interstate Highway System was Nebraska, which they did in 1974. Its final piece, the I-70 through Colorado, was finished in 1992.
2. The International Space Station $150b
The modular orbiting research station known as the International Space Station cost approximately $150 billion to complete. That figure may seem staggering, but keep in mind that many countries split the tab. The nations responsible for putting together the ISS were the US, Russia, Canada, Japan, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
3. Kashagan Fields $116b
Located in the Caspian Sea, the Kashagan Fields represent the largest oil discovery made in the last 40 years. $116 billion has been spent on tapping it. The operation is expected to produce over 90,000 barrels of oil per day, starting in 2017. The total amount of retrievable oil that is estimated to be there is a whopping thirteen billion barrels.
4. King Abdullah Economic City $86b
When finished, the King Abdullah Economic City will be have an estimated cost of $86 billion. Located a little over an hour away from Mecca, the city is sure to become a grand new tourist attraction for Saudi Arabia. The city will include a couple of high class hotels, many luxury villas, some prestigious universities, and a massive airport.
5. Dubailand $76+ b
Construction was halted on this project in 2008, because of a financial crisis in Dubai, then resumed in 2013. So far, it has cost investors $76 billion. If finished, it will be one of the largest and most expensive entertainment facilities in the world. A Disney theme park, IMAX theater, and many other attractions are in its plans.
Design aspects of Dubailand will be based on Arabian Folklore, specifically the tale One Thousand and One Nights.
The impetus behind the project was that some thought Dubai needed a major attraction that was geared towards families, to compete with other cities in the region for tourism.
6. Songdo Intl Business District $40+b
Being built on land reclaimed from the ocean off of Seoul, South Korea, Songdo IBD is estimated to cost over $40 billion. It will be a smart city like no other, complete with ubiquitous WiFi, automatic recycling plants, and other technological innovations.
Some replicas of landmarks from other cities will be built there, including one of Central Park. This one will have a small island full of rabbits, and deer that roam around. Songdo IBD is being built to attract businesses and tourists, and will be located close to the Incheon International Airport.
7. California High-Speed Rail $33b
Started in 2015 and slated to be done with Phase 1 by 2029, the California High-Speed Rail project is already way over its original budget. It is the first project of many that will be underway to complete one of President Obamas first-term pledges, which was to connect some of the major US cities by high-speed rail.
8. Kansai Intl Airport $29 billion
The Kansai International Airport cost an estimated $29 billion to make. It is located off of Japan, in the middle of Osaka Bay. It rests on a man-made island, which was constructed to resist the semi-frequent earthquakes and tidal waves of the region. Another reason for building it in the water was to avoid noise complaints.
9. The Big Dig $23.1b
A nightmare in planning and massively over budget, the Big Dig cost taxpayers an estimated $23.1 billion. The project had to do with rerouting some major highways in the Boston area. The main artery of the road network in the area, Route I-93, was redirected to go directly beneath the heart of the city in an addition called the Thomas P. ONeill Jr. Tunnel.
10. The Channel Tunnel $22.4b
Also referred to as the Chunnel, the Channel Tunnel spans beneath the stretch of water between the southern coast of England and the northern coast of France. It cost fifteen French and British companies $22.4 billion to complete, and is operated by the financing group Eurotunnel. Escalating demands for safety, security, and environmental measures led to the costs for the project to exceed original estimates by 80%. CNN
