I bought beard blaze. Since I started using it. I've dropped half my weight, sired 4 children and taken over the businesses I was working in. I have amassed a fortune and a family beyond what most people dream in only 2 weeks.
I just visited la Réunion, spotted this highway from the airplane window when approaching, and was transfixed. And then I drove on it with my rental, it is finished and functional.. I’d say: worth the money. For a tourist, this is spectacular. For the locals, it eases the huge traffic problem in the north west area pretty efficiently. The island is a gem, btw…
The Confederation Bridge (French: Pont de la Confédération) is a box girder bridge carrying the Trans-Canada Highway across the Abegweit Passage of the Northumberland Strait, linking the province of Prince Edward Island with the province New Brunswick on the mainland. Opened May 31, 1997, the 12.9-kilometre (8.0 mi) bridge is Canada's longest bridge[3] and the world's longest bridge over ice-covered water.[4] Construction took place from October 1993 to May 1997[5] and cost C$1.3 billion This could be a good one.
I’ve been to Isle delà Réunion as it’s called en Français. This was of enormous pleasure to know about this mega project. Super Thanks to Simon and the Team for this.
I bought beard blaze, and I didn't even have a beard. Now I'm growing black berries, blue berries, and raspberries out of my chin, they smell fantastic and are great for an afternoon snack. If I get an itch and scratch hard, sometimes I can dig out truffles which I use to season my paster with and I fully expect to be able to start hunting season soon to get some delicious protein out of the healthy ecosystem.
In 2016 I went to Réunion to see my oncle living there, when you leave the airport to go anywhere but Saint-Denis, you cross that part of the N1, with the ocean on your right, and man the construction site his MASSIVE, I can tell you that.
That road has much in common with the Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm. They built a causeway almost 6 miles long to avoid winter avalanches. The US Government spent close to $20 million on a runway for a village with population of about 50 people. That is over $300,000 per resident.
1:48 It is basically France. Like a state of the US (they have 2 different kinds of "states". One more independent then the other) it still belongs to France and therefore the EU. So you can travel very easily there
It is not basiclay France. It is France. No. It doesn't belong to the EU. It belongs to France. It belongs to France, and it is outside of the Schengen space. Ask any french Belgium fellow how hard it is how to settle in. Let alone any other nation in Europe. It that good ? Hum... I'm really not sure about that. Totally open to discussion. From Reunion island, we can. From Europe, they can't. I'm commenting as a local. Aaaannnnddd... not sure why Schengen space shouldn't apply here. I know we're not part of Europe. And ?
@@YorranKlees If it is part of France like any other department, it is a part of the EU. It is not like Greenland and Denmark. Greenland is to independent for that.
Megaproject idea: The lock and dam system on Mississppi River. Comprised of 27 (or 29) locks and dams over a distance of just under 700 miles. I appreciate and enjoy the show.
I live in North Carolina, United States. I've driven the *Linn Cove ViaDuct* along the *Blue Ridge Parkway* . It was over budget and took longer to build than planned. It was worth every bit to not fall off the side of a mountain into a ravine, and to not have rockslides on a regular basis. My passenger said the view was breathtaking. I was a bit busy concentrating on the road itself. 35mph (25kph) maximum speed year round two lane road, next to a mountain, hugging the contours, for nearly 1/4 mile. It also has a beautiful nature trail and several observation points; under, nearby, and from other mountains along the parkway. Magnificent.The greatest work of #Socialism ever finished by Ronald Reagan during his Administration. Still paying it forward to future generations to this day, nearly 25 years later.
@@tncorgi92 I drove truck (am a bio-engineer) with flammable haz-mat and had to go around the tunnel on highway 6 over Loveland pass at almost 12,000 feet. If the tunnel collapses they can always use that! I swear they take better care of US 6 than I-70's tunnel.
Seeing this makes me wonder, have you done a video on the Confederation Bridge linking New Brunswick and PEI Simon? It used some interesting techniques and had to be built to survive some of the toughest conditions....
Two ideas for megaprojects or side project: Abu Simbel temple relocation - in 1979 the whole temple and the mountain where it had been digged was cut into pieces and moved 100m up so it didn't go under the rising water. Second idea: Venice - the whole city sitting on wood piles is a proper megaproject!
It's absolutely mind-blowing that the place where I grew up (I mean, the b... back of the world),and spent 3 quarters of my life at the age of 50, is represented in such an awesome, and so remote channel. A little butt kick, if you don't mind ? No I know you don't. Reunion island is France. Just like Guadeloupe, Martinique, french Guyana, Mayotte, and also so many overseas french territories. Which makes France the second overseas power after the US in the whole world. French overseas basicly mean being french, having a primarily french culture, as much as any continental region (which is self-explanatory, and certainly not a lone case in the world). A bit of a shortcut here. Reason why "The french" doesn't mean anything. I have like nothing to compare to a parisian now, which I've once been part of for 10 years. And I can't emphasize that enough. Because the french are settled on every continent. And oh yeah, same reason why New-York is not USA. But it's still USA, oh boi. Ok, let's just drop the butt kicking mode now. I loved your video. There has clearly been a lot of research, dig and deduction to find a most accurate description of what's going on. Eruptions, unumpoyment. There are also those multinational companies that try, take control and benefit from the construction site. That lead, surprisingly, to local strikes based on no one could tether what came from where. Reason why it's not finished yet. Aaaaaannnnddd, yeah. Locally, studies showed that new infrastructures will already be outdated on delivery, due to the ongrowing traffic. It's a slow process... It has cost more lives that you mentioned, not on earthquakes (really, earthquakes ? We're not in Mayotte), but mostly in landslides. Deadly ones. But clearly, we're one of the region in the world that could benefit from a more secured road. Not around the island, just about a quarter of it. And really, we're happy to be part of the people who can. Many, many should, but don't have the means PS : it is absolutely sexy to hear "Piton des Neiges" and "Piton de la Fournaise" spelled in english. Not joking here, it's so... unusual. In two worlds: Thank you.
What Simon misses is that the RN1 connects the main city of Saint Denis with its over 100000 inhabitants, and the only deep sea port of the Island, aptly named Le Port. You have no idea the size of the traffic jam when they close the road. The only alternative is a windy little mountain road, aptly called Route de la Montagne, which is unpassable for large trucks.
@@GamersToTheMax2 Then maybe a double episode or a Palace of Versailles then Danny can write a part 2 and if that does well, I'm sure we can roll out to part 6 or 8. Then again, the American version could be a Business Blaze too.
The equipment made to make this and the knowledge gained will prove very useful for the companies involved. I really hope the contracts including some training for locals so they can get high paying off island jobs.
You've probably already done it, but the Statue of Liberty should be a good mega project! The shipment across the sea would be a side project by itself
Sehr, seht und vele dank Simon fur diesem video. About 4 or 5 years ago my uncle, a retire Economy professor and Afrikaans writer told me of an Island in the Indian ocean that is very, very rich. He is also a writer of fiction so I was thinking in that direction too..... I was totally confused. South Africa is (was) the biggest Economy of Africa for the past 100 or 150yrs. (Diamonds was founded in 1860's and Gold in 1880's). I looked it up in a Atlas and all the island was not important. One was an Indian holiday island. From South Africa, a G20(?)-Economy, to the next 1st World Economy are Australia (6000 km West) and Agentian to the East (5 000km). About 3 yrs ago I had to get internet for my studies. I then found this island my Uncle was tolking about. I was shocked! The United South Africa (after 1994, White South Africa united with Black South Africa) have GPD pc of $5.1k. La Reunion has GDP pc = S37k [Europe = $44k]. Travel between SA and Australia is about 12 or 17hours. Hopping bw SA and La Reunion = 3 or 4 hours. So if you have a house or a barnhoff in ZA and some thing went horreble wrong. U can get back to ZA with in couple of hours. NOT a couple of days!!! And then be hi-jacked bw the airport and your old farm/ house..... I also chequed that there are also a couple of Jews on the Island too. (No Jews = bad Economy....) Jest ich zollen Franzosisch muss studeren!!!!! An Idea: The Second War of Independince (1899-1902) infleunced the politics of Canada. The French started a politcal campain for there language and identity. Idea nr. 2: English graves of the Boer War (1899-1902) are kept clean. But the Boer graves are destroied....I refer to Winburg Concentration Camp Graves.
Mega Project idea: The "Mining and Chemical Combine" in Zheleznogorsk, Russia. A Plutonium production plant. The entire facility was built 200 meters into the mountain, and contains 3 Nuclear Reactors (Basically the same design as РБМК, like in Chernobyl),1 АД and 2 АДЭ (АДЭ-2 provided power and heating to the workers city, Zheleznogorsk). The facility has its own railway and electric locomotive. Now the Plutonium production is stopped (since 95'), and the reactors were shut down. Now they produce MOX fuel for fast liquid metal Reactors (for now, БН-800).
Simon, you Should do a MegaProjects about scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow at the end of WW1. It was a pretty amazing operation preform by the German POWs.
Over Simon's left shoulder, there is a floor lamp illuminating what could possibly be a golf bag. At first glance, and before seeing the lamp base. It looks like Simon has let Danny out of the basement for some light duty.
Beard Blaze!? FREAKING SOLD! I spent almost 200 bucks last month on my big beautiful...face covering. So I am excited to check it out! I wish good health, happiness and all the best to you and yours!
I'm very impressed by this project. It's reminiscent of the Michigan State Hwy 185, about the same length, but it encircles a granite and limestone island in Lake Huron. And the only motorized vehicles allowed (other than Pence's motorcade (Previous actual Presidents took carriages) are ambulances (they have one) and fire engines (they have two). Otherwise, it's bicycles and carriages.
If your going to cover this bridge then look at Confederation Bridge, at 12.9-kilometre (8.0 mi) bridge is Canada's longest bridge and the world's longest bridge over ice-covered water.
Was randomly looking at Reunion the other day on Google Earth, saw the highway and thought what a crazy project for such a tiny place, then bam, you put out a video about it, awesome!
A Mega Project on the Tyne Bridge, man. Oran episode of all the bridges on Tyneside - Millennium bridge, Tyne bridge, Swing bridge, High Level bridge, and Redheugh bridge. Or the Newcastle Metro, like.
@@davidwright7193 Meh, It can and is being used regularly. I'd argue it should go on megaprojects - the challenges and backstory are similar to this one here.
@@nitschtr2708 It is in the wrong place. Under prevailing winds the runway can’t be used from the North meaning tailwind landings from the south limiting the planes max landing weight so that aircraft in the 737/A320 class can’t use the field (as it was designed for). Regularly means once a week, with a “few” delays of 24 hours plus, so I am assuming 1 flight in 10 doesn’t land or take off on schedule. The airstrip isn’t providing the communications it was supposed to and is not doing the job it was designed for. The Island is very lucky that some functionality could be squeezed out of a FUBARed project.
I would like to see something about heavy lift cranes one day. May not be considered a mega project themselves, but they are a crucial in building some mega projects. I'm a crane operator in the states building wind turbines, so anything to do with crane and rigging is always exciting to me. Liebherr has the largest crawler crane at the moment with there LR13000, but as far as stationary cranes go look into Sarens or Mammoet ringer cranes, or Big T crane barge! Thanks for the great content, cheers.
Honestly the popular consensus on the island is that it might never open. And the Route des Tamarins (which is the following segment of RN1) has better sights to be honest.
The Big Highway Project around here (western Canada) is the Coquihalla Highway. The construction was one thing; the miserable winter weather is something else again.
While visiting this island on Google Earth, as I do with many of the areas mentioned on Megaprojects, I noticed a possible reason for the cost and delays. The new road is being built concurrently in 3 places. 3 times the cost for equipment and manpower. Instead build one section at a time using 2 shifts of workers. A new highway near me is being constructed in phases, starting with the easiest areas first and then onto the problem area. The first phase was finished years ago and the second phase just last year. While work is continuing for phase 3, the completed section is open for travel. I think they should have began from the easiest starting point, built a section that would merge into the existing road, maybe 4 kilometers up, and open it for travel. Continue with the 2nd section, opening it up when completed and then the last section. At least some of the safer road would open faster.
Your beard is phenomenal. I am a (thankfully beardless) woman, but I'm tempted to get beard blaze for my frizzy hair. HA! As for this bridge project, this is pretty genius. If you're interested, you should do a video on the bridges in my city (Seattle). We have two of the four longest floating bridges in the world. And there have been disasters/mishaps along the way to building replacement bridges, or newer sections. Definitely check it out if you haven't already.
Simon, just because it's you, and your youtube channel promiscuity is epically legendary, I stopped the video right after your plug and bought some basic blaze (resumed right afterward so you'd get that sweet sweet watch time, of course). Boom. Carry on sir.
Beard is looking good =) Was talking to my dad the other day and about his time in the Korean military. Apparently, his unit had a lot of difficulties with the North Korean tanks until the US was able to develop anti-tank munitions that could penetrate North Korean tank armour. Prior to this, there were rumours that some men had sacrificed themselves by detonating explosives under the tanks. Or perhaps you could find some information on the development of the South Korean military since the Korean War - there are a few stories where US Marines talk about their experience with their Korean counterparts and they seem quite impressed but there isn't much info on the Korean military units available publicly.
@@Brinta3 Now that I think about it you might be right in regards to the second suggestion but I think there's still merit in looking into the Soviet sourced tank (that I believe started out as a very poorly made tank) to become the main tank of the North Korean army.
100 years is quite good actually. Most A7 Autobahn bridges were build in the 70s and needed to be replaced years ago. They're still working on it, for 10 years by now.
As a local there have never been such thing like a major earthquake. Nor the eruption you quoted were natural disasters. But cyclones there used to be devastating. Landslides due to erosion caused by high humidity are the reasons why this expressway project was proposed.
Pretty sure Liquid Hot Magma destroying all your shit would be considered a natural disaster lmao did you miss the active volcano part, and how many eruptions this place has had?
@@jordan2042 There are tons of eruptons, but there were never any volcanic disaster since 1977. And not any major earthquake or anything. There are devastating cyclones here and there. I say this as a local.
I wasn't aware of this project. I can see where they really need it and they're lucky France is doing it. But it is hard to believe it is viable, especially considering they could go for full independence at any time.
No we won't. It's a European funded project. And French groups are making a lot of money on it. There was a project of a train going around the island to help but polical changes pushed to invest in a road which is not viable. La réunion does not have natives, we have been french forever. We have many communities (Indians, Chinese, African, french White) but we cry when France loses in football !
You should check out the way traffic accidents are cleared on the old road - crane trucks! I was in Reunion 2016 and hung out with a few of the commercial divers working on the project - they were not operating at industry gold standards.
Might be more of a side project idea, but the construction and ongoing issues with the Montreal Olympic Stadium is a story you could tell better than anyone else
Also Megaprojects, Did you made a video on ITER ? because it's one of the most ambitious (and costly) megaprojet ever made, you can see there youtube channel they post regularly (in FR/ENG). (they even widened certain french roads and bridges, just to allow the construction convoy to deliver parts)
Simon; This bridge appears to be based on the SeaCliff bridge that’s located in the north of the Illawarra district that is about an hour south of Sydney, Australia.. The SeaCliff bridge is becoming iconic, and so will this bridge, the SeaCliff .also was constructed due the in instability of the road it was built to replace. There are so many visual and practical similarities..
i never been there,but just curious ...why didnt they just go for a tunnel instead? if rockfall is a major problems .there is a technique called cut and cover and they may even be able to just upgrade the existing road using this technique.
I have been campaigning for a long time for the Bar Lev Line with no success. But instead of giving up, I will be campaigning for Benban Solar Park, Aswan High Dam and of course Bar Lev Line.
I'd love it if you took a look at the Atchafalaya Basin bridge on here or side projects. Its 18.2 miles (29.3 km) long and travels over swamp land. I've always thought it to be an impressive project and couldnt see it being constructed these days because of the cost.
That existing road sounds just as bas the highway headed south out of Anchorage Alaska. It gets closed all the time due to avalanche and traffic accident investigations. And this highway is a new one which replaced the much worse old highway.
I ended up on the island pretty much by accident, but it was one of the best holiday destinations I have ever visited. If you can afford to go too: do it! (and if you love extreme sports: check out the Grand Raid)
The Overseas Highway, from Miami to Key West in Florida is an interesting and similar mega-project. it's basically a 106 mi long bridge, or series of bridges and raised highways, connecting dozens of tiny islands throughout the Florida Keys.
I'd recommend checking out the Commanche Helicopter. It was a stealth helicopter being designed during the early 2000's but it was ultimately canceled due to it's pricepoint and the fear that they'd be shot down like the Apache helicopters that were getting shot down.
My wife is from Reunion. I driven past this road several times. I'm shocked that it's still not finished. It might take a little longer now that Britain has left the EU as the UK tax payer has made an important contribution to this project. Reunion is part of the EU.
Suggestion: I'd love to see a video about the Manchester canal or better yet a sideprojects video about Liverpool and Manchester. So many people know this rivalry for an obvious reason but many have no clue of the history behind it.
Clarkson, Hammond and Mays covered this topic to a lesser degree on the opening of The Grand Tour, before heading to Madagascar and hijinx ensued. They were allowed to drive on the completed portion. Check it out on Amazon Prime, if you're a sub. Speaking of France, a very cool subject for this channel would be the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. It's an extraordinary space port that rivals Kennedy in Florida.
Hey Simon, great vid about a fairly "small" megaproject. Maybe the "Oosterweel" project around Antwerp can get a similar video? It's about making a new tunnel system north and west of Antwerp with other works optimising the freeway around the citty.
I would love to see more infrastructure projects. Like the Eysturoyartunnilin (11km long undersea tunnel 180m below surface with a roundabout) the Øresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden or the Macau-Zhuhai-Hongkong bridge.
Well I haven't caught any of the kind I'm thinking of here (yet), but the apology for a little French mispronunciation here or there in this video had me ask the damn monitor: "Why don't you ever apologize for the **English** ones?" My favorite one from the last video I remember, from a couple hours ago, was for trying to say "Albemarle" and coming up with "able my er". :-) :-) I'm only ribbing. I love the number and variety of Simon Whistler videos you can find on YT. Even if he has some problems with the English language now and again.
I bought beard blaze. Since I started using it. I've dropped half my weight, sired 4 children and taken over the businesses I was working in. I have amassed a fortune and a family beyond what most people dream in only 2 weeks.
And don't forget, that your meat has grown by 3 inches (in length and circumference) since then
@@spankasheepmy lovers wish it was only 3 inches.
I'm not interested in the beard oil, but now if there was a Blaze Ball Spray with Simon's face on the bottle....
@@Charles_-nj5cb of cource per day XD
It also makes you an automatic Business Blaze Legend.
Fun Fact: The first person to lose a drag race on this road is non other than James May.
doing honor to his name: captain Slow. der langsame :D
It was hilarious to see that platform flow away when it was supposed to resist storms and cyclones. I was there.
I just visited la Réunion, spotted this highway from the airplane window when approaching, and was transfixed. And then I drove on it with my rental, it is finished and functional.. I’d say: worth the money. For a tourist, this is spectacular. For the locals, it eases the huge traffic problem in the north west area pretty efficiently. The island is a gem, btw…
i saw this on the grand tour and immediately thought you should do a vid on this, thanks to the person who suggested it
Same!!!
I’m guessing so did he. Lol
I was gonna ask if that's thr one I saw on the Grand Tour!
Thanks for reminding where I saw it. I was thinking it was in a movie.
So this is why I was thinking this seemed familiar
one part of the delay on construction was surely caused by a hamster, an orangutan and an old lady
Hammond, Clarkson and May?
@@Fido4President Yes. Simon even mentioned TGT at the very end of the vid
@@Fido4President the unholy trinity of exceptional fun to watch
This
Old lady? You mean Slow, English Spaniel😂
The Confederation Bridge (French: Pont de la Confédération) is a box girder bridge carrying the Trans-Canada Highway across the Abegweit Passage of the Northumberland Strait, linking the province of Prince Edward Island with the province New Brunswick on the mainland. Opened May 31, 1997, the 12.9-kilometre (8.0 mi) bridge is Canada's longest bridge[3] and the world's longest bridge over ice-covered water.[4]
Construction took place from October 1993 to May 1997[5] and cost C$1.3 billion
This could be a good one.
I’ve been to Isle delà Réunion as it’s called en Français. This was of enormous pleasure to know about this mega project. Super Thanks to Simon and the Team for this.
I bought beard blaze, and I didn't even have a beard. Now I'm growing black berries, blue berries, and raspberries out of my chin, they smell fantastic and are great for an afternoon snack. If I get an itch and scratch hard, sometimes I can dig out truffles which I use to season my paster with and I fully expect to be able to start hunting season soon to get some delicious protein out of the healthy ecosystem.
Who else knows exactly what this is thanks to Clarkson?
oh yeah I saw this on the Grand Tour :D
wHo elses need Grammar's sChOoL to go too?
Grand Tour!
Yeap and Hammond and May.
100%. Simon must have just watched a video :P
Reunion. An island that grows all by itself. What's not to like?
"At only 12.5km in length it certainly isn't its size that is impressive"
Goddamn Simon now I know why you only shoot videos from the waist up.
fr 🥵
Anyone else notice the microphone matches Simon's shirt quite nicely?
You mean they both bad 😋
In 2016 I went to Réunion to see my oncle living there, when you leave the airport to go anywhere but Saint-Denis, you cross that part of the N1, with the ocean on your right, and man the construction site his MASSIVE, I can tell you that.
your uncle seems to have found paradise!!
Hey I hope you enjoyed your stay there ! I am a native from the Island exiled in France (Paris) I hope to be able to find a job there.
That road has much in common with the Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm. They built a causeway almost 6 miles long to avoid winter avalanches. The US Government spent close to $20 million on a runway for a village with population of about 50 people. That is over $300,000 per resident.
They spend about that much to keep Alaska in buisness, granted its main export is oil.
The infamous “Bridge to Nowhere.”
2:40 - Chapter 1 - Reunion
4:50 - Chapter 2 - The plan
6:10 - Chapter 3 - Construction
9:45 - Chapter 4 - Controversy
10:30 - Chapter 5 - A road to remember
1:48 It is basically France. Like a state of the US (they have 2 different kinds of "states". One more independent then the other) it still belongs to France and therefore the EU.
So you can travel very easily there
@Varoon yes, that was the name I was looking for "departement" :D
Thank you. Forgot this since my French-classes
It is not basiclay France. It is France. No. It doesn't belong to the EU. It belongs to France.
It belongs to France, and it is outside of the Schengen space. Ask any french Belgium fellow how hard it is how to settle in. Let alone any other nation in Europe.
It that good ? Hum... I'm really not sure about that. Totally open to discussion. From Reunion island, we can. From Europe, they can't.
I'm commenting as a local. Aaaannnnddd... not sure why Schengen space shouldn't apply here. I know we're not part of Europe. And ?
@@YorranKlees If it is part of France like any other department, it is a part of the EU. It is not like Greenland and Denmark. Greenland is to independent for that.
Megaproject idea: The lock and dam system on Mississppi River. Comprised of 27 (or 29) locks and dams over a distance of just under 700 miles. I appreciate and enjoy the show.
I live in North Carolina, United States. I've driven the *Linn Cove ViaDuct* along the *Blue Ridge Parkway* . It was over budget and took longer to build than planned. It was worth every bit to not fall off the side of a mountain into a ravine, and to not have rockslides on a regular basis. My passenger said the view was breathtaking. I was a bit busy concentrating on the road itself. 35mph (25kph) maximum speed year round two lane road, next to a mountain, hugging the contours, for nearly 1/4 mile. It also has a beautiful nature trail and several observation points; under, nearby, and from other mountains along the parkway. Magnificent.The greatest work of #Socialism ever finished by Ronald Reagan during his Administration. Still paying it forward to future generations to this day, nearly 25 years later.
The Eisenhower tunnel on the i70 in Colorado would make a great mega project
It's almost 50 years old and is in horrible shape, they need to repair it ($150 million estimate) or close it
@@tncorgi92 I drove truck (am a bio-engineer) with flammable haz-mat and had to go around the tunnel on highway 6 over Loveland pass at almost 12,000 feet. If the tunnel collapses they can always use that! I swear they take better care of US 6 than I-70's tunnel.
Seeing this makes me wonder, have you done a video on the Confederation Bridge linking New Brunswick and PEI Simon? It used some interesting techniques and had to be built to survive some of the toughest conditions....
I was just thinking about this one. Would love to see a video on this.
Agreed. It is a properly massive massive bridge.
Two ideas for megaprojects or side project: Abu Simbel temple relocation - in 1979 the whole temple and the mountain where it had been digged was cut into pieces and moved 100m up so it didn't go under the rising water. Second idea: Venice - the whole city sitting on wood piles is a proper megaproject!
It's absolutely mind-blowing that the place where I grew up (I mean, the b... back of the world),and spent 3 quarters of my life at the age of 50, is represented in such an awesome, and so remote channel.
A little butt kick, if you don't mind ? No I know you don't.
Reunion island is France. Just like Guadeloupe, Martinique, french Guyana, Mayotte, and also so many overseas french territories. Which makes France the second overseas power after the US in the whole world. French overseas basicly mean being french, having a primarily french culture, as much as any continental region (which is self-explanatory, and certainly not a lone case in the world). A bit of a shortcut here. Reason why "The french" doesn't mean anything. I have like nothing to compare to a parisian now, which I've once been part of for 10 years. And I can't emphasize that enough. Because the french are settled on every continent. And oh yeah, same reason why New-York is not USA. But it's still USA, oh boi.
Ok, let's just drop the butt kicking mode now.
I loved your video. There has clearly been a lot of research, dig and deduction to find a most accurate description of what's going on. Eruptions, unumpoyment. There are also those multinational companies that try, take control and benefit from the construction site. That lead, surprisingly, to local strikes based on no one could tether what came from where. Reason why it's not finished yet. Aaaaaannnnddd, yeah.
Locally, studies showed that new infrastructures will already be outdated on delivery, due to the ongrowing traffic.
It's a slow process... It has cost more lives that you mentioned, not on earthquakes (really, earthquakes ? We're not in Mayotte), but mostly in landslides. Deadly ones.
But clearly, we're one of the region in the world that could benefit from a more secured road. Not around the island, just about a quarter of it.
And really, we're happy to be part of the people who can. Many, many should, but don't have the means
PS : it is absolutely sexy to hear "Piton des Neiges" and "Piton de la Fournaise" spelled in english. Not joking here, it's so... unusual.
In two worlds: Thank you.
“...Those roads are small, narrow, win-dee, and wine-dee”
Fixed
Cant wait for the Rotten Turtle perfume that Simon will put in the market...
I would like to see a video on a LFTR Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor
What Simon misses is that the RN1 connects the main city of Saint Denis with its over 100000 inhabitants, and the only deep sea port of the Island, aptly named Le Port. You have no idea the size of the traffic jam when they close the road. The only alternative is a windy little mountain road, aptly called Route de la Montagne, which is unpassable for large trucks.
That's a crazy amount of money to connect an island to itself.
Megaprojects Idea: The Berlin Airlift. Supplying a whole city for about a year, from air. Including with an whole coal power plant.
Suggestion, not really sure if it’s a mega project or not but the building of the Palace of Versailles would be cool
The French version or the US version or both?
@@thomasmoeller3446 I’ll be honest, I don’t know what the American version is but I’m talking about the french one built for the king of France
@@GamersToTheMax2 Then maybe a double episode or a Palace of Versailles then Danny can write a part 2 and if that does well, I'm sure we can roll out to part 6 or 8. Then again, the American version could be a Business Blaze too.
i drove the whole island all around and the mountains last year June. it was hair raising awesome
On the topic of bridges, please consider a video on the history of Highway 1 from Miami to Key West. Quite a story.
The equipment made to make this and the knowledge gained will prove very useful for the companies involved. I really hope the contracts including some training for locals so they can get high paying off island jobs.
You've probably already done it, but the Statue of Liberty should be a good mega project! The shipment across the sea would be a side project by itself
Sehr, seht und vele dank Simon fur diesem video. About 4 or 5 years ago my uncle, a retire Economy professor and Afrikaans writer told me of an Island in the Indian ocean that is very, very rich. He is also a writer of fiction so I was thinking in that direction too..... I was totally confused. South Africa is (was) the biggest Economy of Africa for the past 100 or 150yrs. (Diamonds was founded in 1860's and Gold in 1880's). I looked it up in a Atlas and all the island was not important. One was an Indian holiday island. From South Africa, a G20(?)-Economy, to the next 1st World Economy are Australia (6000 km West) and Agentian to the East (5 000km). About 3 yrs ago I had to get internet for my studies. I then found this island my Uncle was tolking about. I was shocked! The United South Africa (after 1994, White South Africa united with Black South Africa) have GPD pc of $5.1k. La Reunion has GDP pc = S37k [Europe = $44k]. Travel between SA and Australia is about 12 or 17hours. Hopping bw SA and La Reunion = 3 or 4 hours. So if you have a house or a barnhoff in ZA and some thing went horreble wrong. U can get back to ZA with in couple of hours. NOT a couple of days!!! And then be hi-jacked bw the airport and your old farm/ house.....
I also chequed that there are also a couple of Jews on the Island too. (No Jews = bad Economy....)
Jest ich zollen Franzosisch muss studeren!!!!!
An Idea: The Second War of Independince (1899-1902) infleunced the politics of Canada. The French started a politcal campain for there language and identity.
Idea nr. 2: English graves of the Boer War (1899-1902) are kept clean. But the Boer graves are destroied....I refer to Winburg Concentration Camp Graves.
Also: Bagger 288 please. Nothing quite like the largest land vehicle in history.
Mega Project idea: The "Mining and Chemical Combine" in Zheleznogorsk, Russia. A Plutonium production plant. The entire facility was built 200 meters into the mountain, and contains 3 Nuclear Reactors (Basically the same design as РБМК, like in Chernobyl),1 АД and 2 АДЭ (АДЭ-2 provided power and heating to the workers city, Zheleznogorsk). The facility has its own railway and electric locomotive.
Now the Plutonium production is stopped (since 95'), and the reactors were shut down. Now they produce MOX fuel for fast liquid metal Reactors (for now, БН-800).
What about covering the Troll Gass platform, the largest man made object that has been moved on earth?
Simon, you Should do a MegaProjects about scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow at the end of WW1. It was a pretty amazing operation preform by the German POWs.
Over Simon's left shoulder, there is a floor lamp illuminating what could possibly be a golf bag. At first glance, and before seeing the lamp base. It looks like Simon has let Danny out of the basement for some light duty.
@@timelesstimbers Maybe it's Danny in camouflage trying to escape. lol
Beard Blaze!? FREAKING SOLD! I spent almost 200 bucks last month on my big beautiful...face covering. So I am excited to check it out! I wish good health, happiness and all the best to you and yours!
Do Norway's new highway system (The E39 Coastal Highway)
The old road sounds like the Schuylkill Highway near Philadelphia, PA where rockfalls gave a stretch of highway the nickname of Surekill Highway.
I'm very impressed by this project. It's reminiscent of the Michigan State Hwy 185, about the same length, but it encircles a granite and limestone island in Lake Huron. And the only motorized vehicles allowed (other than Pence's motorcade (Previous actual Presidents took carriages) are ambulances (they have one) and fire engines (they have two). Otherwise, it's bicycles and carriages.
Surprised you didn't do a Megaprojects on Curiosity and Perseverance a few weeks ago when the latter landed, but I'd love to see one on them
Hate those windy roads with their constant breezes. Lol
If your going to cover this bridge then look at Confederation Bridge, at 12.9-kilometre (8.0 mi) bridge is Canada's longest bridge and the world's longest bridge over ice-covered water.
Just when I think I’m subscribed to all of Simon’s channels I find a new one.
Was randomly looking at Reunion the other day on Google Earth, saw the highway and thought what a crazy project for such a tiny place, then bam, you put out a video about it, awesome!
A Mega Project on the Tyne Bridge, man. Oran episode of all the bridges on Tyneside - Millennium bridge, Tyne bridge, Swing bridge, High Level bridge, and Redheugh bridge. Or the Newcastle Metro, like.
While we‘re on the topic of distant lands: How about a video on St. Helena‘s Airport?
The one that can’t be used due to excessive wind shear in most conditions? Yep that might be worth a Business Blaze episode.....
@@davidwright7193 Meh, It can and is being used regularly. I'd argue it should go on megaprojects - the challenges and backstory are similar to this one here.
@@nitschtr2708 It is in the wrong place. Under prevailing winds the runway can’t be used from the North meaning tailwind landings from the south limiting the planes max landing weight so that aircraft in the 737/A320 class can’t use the field (as it was designed for). Regularly means once a week, with a “few” delays of 24 hours plus, so I am assuming 1 flight in 10 doesn’t land or take off on schedule. The airstrip isn’t providing the communications it was supposed to and is not doing the job it was designed for. The Island is very lucky that some functionality could be squeezed out of a FUBARed project.
I would like to see something about heavy lift cranes one day. May not be considered a mega project themselves, but they are a crucial in building some mega projects. I'm a crane operator in the states building wind turbines, so anything to do with crane and rigging is always exciting to me. Liebherr has the largest crawler crane at the moment with there LR13000, but as far as stationary cranes go look into Sarens or Mammoet ringer cranes, or Big T crane barge! Thanks for the great content, cheers.
Honestly the popular consensus on the island is that it might never open. And the Route des Tamarins (which is the following segment of RN1) has better sights to be honest.
The Big Highway Project around here (western Canada) is the Coquihalla Highway. The construction was one thing; the miserable winter weather is something else again.
Life was getting stressful.....and then "Beard Blaze". ROTFLMAO! (Thanks Simon, I owe you one.)
While visiting this island on Google Earth, as I do with many of the areas mentioned on Megaprojects, I noticed a possible reason for the cost and delays. The new road is being built concurrently in 3 places. 3 times the cost for equipment and manpower. Instead build one section at a time using 2 shifts of workers. A new highway near me is being constructed in phases, starting with the easiest areas first and then onto the problem area. The first phase was finished years ago and the second phase just last year. While work is continuing for phase 3, the completed section is open for travel. I think they should have began from the easiest starting point, built a section that would merge into the existing road, maybe 4 kilometers up, and open it for travel. Continue with the 2nd section, opening it up when completed and then the last section. At least some of the safer road would open faster.
1:23 Well that's the first time I've sat through (and watched) an advert on any channel without just skipping ahead!
Your beard is phenomenal. I am a (thankfully beardless) woman, but I'm tempted to get beard blaze for my frizzy hair. HA! As for this bridge project, this is pretty genius. If you're interested, you should do a video on the bridges in my city (Seattle). We have two of the four longest floating bridges in the world. And there have been disasters/mishaps along the way to building replacement bridges, or newer sections. Definitely check it out if you haven't already.
Simon, just because it's you, and your youtube channel promiscuity is epically legendary, I stopped the video right after your plug and bought some basic blaze (resumed right afterward so you'd get that sweet sweet watch time, of course).
Boom. Carry on sir.
Beard is looking good =)
Was talking to my dad the other day and about his time in the Korean military. Apparently, his unit had a lot of difficulties with the North Korean tanks until the US was able to develop anti-tank munitions that could penetrate North Korean tank armour. Prior to this, there were rumours that some men had sacrificed themselves by detonating explosives under the tanks.
Or perhaps you could find some information on the development of the South Korean military since the Korean War - there are a few stories where US Marines talk about their experience with their Korean counterparts and they seem quite impressed but there isn't much info on the Korean military units available publicly.
This channel is about mega projects. Your idea does not seem to fit very well.
@@Brinta3 Now that I think about it you might be right in regards to the second suggestion but I think there's still merit in looking into the Soviet sourced tank (that I believe started out as a very poorly made tank) to become the main tank of the North Korean army.
Next project . The series of fortresses built by Wellington in Portugal dring the defence of Portugal against Napoleon
I'm sure the engineering and construction process is fascinating
100 years is quite good actually. Most A7 Autobahn bridges were build in the 70s and needed to be replaced years ago. They're still working on it, for 10 years by now.
As a local there have never been such thing like a major earthquake. Nor the eruption you quoted were natural disasters. But cyclones there used to be devastating. Landslides due to erosion caused by high humidity are the reasons why this expressway project was proposed.
Ooh! This looks like a brilliant place to retire to! Nice weather, NO natural disasters, and RUM!
Pretty sure Liquid Hot Magma destroying all your shit would be considered a natural disaster lmao did you miss the active volcano part, and how many eruptions this place has had?
@@jordan2042 The capitalized NO was to indicate me being facetious. lol
@@jordan2042 There are tons of eruptons, but there were never any volcanic disaster since 1977. And not any major earthquake or anything.
There are devastating cyclones here and there.
I say this as a local.
Simon, you should cover the new Shanghai container terminal
I wasn't aware of this project. I can see where they really need it and they're lucky France is doing it. But it is hard to believe it is viable, especially considering they could go for full independence at any time.
No we won't. It's a European funded project. And French groups are making a lot of money on it. There was a project of a train going around the island to help but polical changes pushed to invest in a road which is not viable.
La réunion does not have natives, we have been french forever. We have many communities (Indians, Chinese, African, french White) but we cry when France loses in football !
France has always been a country of grand public projects.
I've driven the ring road around Rarotonga. Not even close to the scale of this puppy.
You should check out the way traffic accidents are cleared on the old road - crane trucks! I was in Reunion 2016 and hung out with a few of the commercial divers working on the project - they were not operating at industry gold standards.
Simon, can you please make a megaprojects on the Alaska Highway?
CONGRATULATIONS ON REACHING HALF A MILLION SUBSCRIBERS!
Might be more of a side project idea, but the construction and ongoing issues with the Montreal Olympic Stadium is a story you could tell better than anyone else
Also Megaprojects, Did you made a video on ITER ? because it's one of the most ambitious (and costly) megaprojet ever made, you can see there youtube channel they post regularly (in FR/ENG).
(they even widened certain french roads and bridges, just to allow the construction convoy to deliver parts)
Hi Simon love all your channels,any chance you could do a video on the realistic ,,or lack of, possibilities of time travel ?
The bridges to key west where a bigger project and took place many years before the modern technology we have today.
Episode idea 🇺🇸
Half a million subscribers!! Congrats Simon
Thumbs up just for the Beard Blaze advertisement. You, sir, are a legend.
Simon: Love all your channels. How about a vid on the Faroe Islands tunnels?
Do the great Man made river in Libya pumping water from one of the biggest ancient aquifers in the world
Congratulations on 500K subscribers! ETA would be jealous.
Simon; This bridge appears to be based on the SeaCliff bridge that’s located in the north of the Illawarra district that is about an hour south of Sydney, Australia..
The SeaCliff bridge is becoming iconic, and so will this bridge, the SeaCliff .also was constructed due the in instability of the road it was built to replace.
There are so many visual and practical similarities..
Seacliff bridge is barely 700 meters long and all of its support structure is built on the land. No similarity there.
i never been there,but just curious ...why didnt they just go for a tunnel instead? if rockfall is a major problems .there is a technique called cut and cover and they may even be able to just upgrade the existing road using this technique.
Congrats on 500k
I have been campaigning for a long time for the Bar Lev Line with no success. But instead of giving up, I will be campaigning for Benban Solar Park, Aswan High Dam and of course Bar Lev Line.
I'd love it if you took a look at the Atchafalaya Basin bridge on here or side projects. Its 18.2 miles (29.3 km) long and travels over swamp land. I've always thought it to be an impressive project and couldnt see it being constructed these days because of the cost.
That existing road sounds just as bas the highway headed south out of Anchorage Alaska. It gets closed all the time due to avalanche and traffic accident investigations. And this highway is a new one which replaced the much worse old highway.
I ended up on the island pretty much by accident, but it was one of the best holiday destinations I have ever visited.
If you can afford to go too: do it!
(and if you love extreme sports: check out the Grand Raid)
The Overseas Highway, from Miami to Key West in Florida is an interesting and similar mega-project. it's basically a 106 mi long bridge, or series of bridges and raised highways, connecting dozens of tiny islands throughout the Florida Keys.
I'd recommend checking out the Commanche Helicopter. It was a stealth helicopter being designed during the early 2000's but it was ultimately canceled due to it's pricepoint and the fear that they'd be shot down like the Apache helicopters that were getting shot down.
My wife is from Reunion. I driven past this road several times. I'm shocked that it's still not finished. It might take a little longer now that Britain has left the EU as the UK tax payer has made an important contribution to this project. Reunion is part of the EU.
You should do one about the creation of the bike and its progression
Suggestion: I'd love to see a video about the Manchester canal or better yet a sideprojects video about Liverpool and Manchester. So many people know this rivalry for an obvious reason but many have no clue of the history behind it.
Clarkson, Hammond and Mays covered this topic to a lesser degree on the opening of The Grand Tour, before heading to Madagascar and hijinx ensued. They were allowed to drive on the completed portion. Check it out on Amazon Prime, if you're a sub.
Speaking of France, a very cool subject for this channel would be the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. It's an extraordinary space port that rivals Kennedy in Florida.
Loving the smoke retreat as the drone footage zooms _in_ 😆
Hey Simon, great vid about a fairly "small" megaproject. Maybe the "Oosterweel" project around Antwerp can get a similar video? It's about making a new tunnel system north and west of Antwerp with other works optimising the freeway around the citty.
Could you do an episode on the giant floating structure from the movie Water World?
23% Unemployment
23 Deaths from Rock-falls
You would think these two statistics would balance each other out eventually.
4:10 Windy roads are those which are winding, not to be confused with moving air. See video for example.
: )
I would love to see more infrastructure projects. Like the Eysturoyartunnilin (11km long undersea tunnel 180m below surface with a roundabout) the Øresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden or the Macau-Zhuhai-Hongkong bridge.
Well I haven't caught any of the kind I'm thinking of here (yet), but the apology for a little French mispronunciation here or there in this video had me ask the damn monitor:
"Why don't you ever apologize for the **English** ones?"
My favorite one from the last video I remember, from a couple hours ago, was for trying to say "Albemarle" and coming up with "able my er".
:-) :-)
I'm only ribbing. I love the number and variety of Simon Whistler videos you can find on YT.
Even if he has some problems with the English language now and again.
Cool video. Suggestion for the Island of Madeira? Huge building of the road structure including long tunnels costing billions of EU money...