See This Earthquake Ravaged Japanese Highway Rebuilt in Three Days Earthquake Ravaged Japanese Highway Rebuilt in Three Short Days

These two photos show the same stretch of road—the Great Kanto branch—three days apart. By March 16th, just three days after the earthquake tore it apart, the road was rebuilt to the condition seen in the photo.

Here's the press release (run through Google Translate) from Nexco East, the company that runs that stretch of regional highway. I'm sure there's more of a point to be made about such a stunning display of resiliency, or as Michael Cote described it, the "diligent efficiency" of the response. About whether it would be possible if the government alone—and not a private company—would be able to work so quickly and efficiently. About whether anything like this would ever be possible in the United States. (Doubtful.) But for now, it's just an amazing thing to see.

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Big props to resiliency/infrastructure fanatic Cote (and our go-to climate adaptation expert) for calling this to our attention.