The Boring Company, which is owned by Elon Musk and aims to alleviate traffic congestion through underground highways, has received approval to expand its “Vegas Loop.” This underground tunnel system, which uses Tesla vehicles to shuttle passengers, will be extended by 40 kilometres with the addition of 18 new stations that extend the tunnel network beyond the Las Vegas Strip corridor.
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Initially, the Vegas Loop was planned to feature 46 kilometres of tunnels with 51 stations, but the proposed expansion will increase the network to 105 kilometres of tunnels underneath Sin City. The Vegas Loop’s current footprint is 2.2 miles and includes five stops, including four around the Las Vegas Convention Centre and Resorts World, with Westgate and Encore under construction.
The expansion was approved by Clark County, Nevada commissioners in a 6-1 vote after The Boring Company confirmed it would fund the project entirely, not taxpayers. The company raised $675 million last year to scale Loop projects. Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick was the sole vote against the plan, citing concerns for workers who need to travel into the city for work.
The newly planned stations will be placed on Las Vegas Boulevard near the airport, in Chinatown, at UNLV, Town Square Las Vegas, and Harmon Square. The expansion will help people reach more casinos, retail zones, the University of Nevada Las Vegas campus, and residential areas. The cost of a sample trip between the airport and the Las Vegas Convention Centre, a 4.9-mile journey, will be $10, and the trip will take around five minutes.
The Boring Company aims to use the tunnels for hyperloop technology, which would transport passengers and cargo in pods through low-pressure tubes at speeds of over 600 miles per hour. However, there has been no indication that TBC has moved forward with this technology, nor will it be implemented in the Vegas Loop.
