What can I Research? How much money and copper do I have?
A few more mines have been opened but same as MT, supply is too high and demand is too low, a few large sources of gold and copper have been found in the far east, alongside lead
Open more mines throughout the nation. Have prospectors look for more valuable an useful materials like gold and copper
Ooh spicy meme time innit, your engineers are going to start to test with building bridges, the bridge construction is as of now delayed, the research center is proving helpful in testing out parts and miniatures
Umm Yeah, the replacement process is fine. Maybe in future we will have better tech to reconstruct them with.
As for the motivation to move to those lands, make a speech on how our current mainland lacks mountainous terrain, seeing as it is mostly plains and forests, explain that this represents a lack of geological activity, and thus mineral deposits will run out soon, explain that the mountainous landscape to the west shows a high geological activity, and thus it will host larger deposits.
Bridges are being constructed together with the canal, but they are going to date and are going to have to be reconstructed in the future due to them getting too damaged over the years
Ooooh, and I see an engineering opportunity, have my engineers research how we can make the bridges able to raise upward for taller ships to pass through. Try experimenting with counterweights, pulleys, large hinges, etc.
Well, as the canal is under construction, build some large bridges across the completed areas. Let's say.... 1 bridge every 20 miles. Make sure each bridge is built well and can sustain heavy loads.
MT, Altho the protection does make the miners there more confident it isn't enough of a reason to go there, also once the canal is constructed there will be a problem, you don't have a direct land connection to those lands