Brazzaville–Kinshasa Bridge

Advantages

• Amongst other things, the proposed bridge would connect Kinshasa via rail to the deepwater 10.46 m draft port at Pointe Noire rather than the shallower 8.20 m draft river port at Matadi.
• The railway systems of both countries use the same gauge, namely
• With ever bigger ships, shipping companies prefer to use fewer ports.
• The connected railways can share rolling stock which saves capital costs.
• If one line is closed, for example by floods, traffic can be diverted to the other line.
• There are potential lines from Angola and Namibia which would create a better network.
• It will alow people to drive directly from South Africa to Eastern Russia, becoming part of the longest driven road possible.

  Disadvantages

• A minor detail would be to eventually unify couplers and brakes, etc., if not already compatible.
• The Republic of the Congo might be more exposed to political turmoil in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• The great expense of construction.
• Cost of maintenance would be an ongoing stress on both countries' budgets.