Musk’s US tunnels get ‘verbal’ go-ahead

LOS ANGELES: US technology pioneer Elon Musk has said on Twitter that his Boring Company tunnel project has received “verbal government approval” to build a New York- Washington hyperloop, which would drastically cut the travel time between the two cities.

“Just received verbal govt approval for The Boring Company to build an underground NY- Phil- Balt- DC Hyperloop. NY-DC in 29 mins,” tweeted Musk, who’s behind the automaker Tesla and commercial launch company SpaceX.

It currently takes up to three-and-half hours by train from New York to Washington, and over four hours by bus. The Boring Company hopes to ease traffic by expanding transportation corridors.

“One option is to ‘go up’ with flying cars. However, flying cars have issues with weather, noise, and generally increase anxiety levels of those below them,” the company said.

“The other option is to ‘go down’ and build tunnels.”

The White House has confirmed its officials have had “promising conversations to date” with Musk and his executives, according to a spokesperson.

In another tweet, Musk said the system would run from “city centre to city centre in each case, with up to a dozen or more entry/exit elevators in each city”.

He added: “First set of tunnels are to alleviate greater LA urban congestion. Will start NY-DC in parallel. Then prob LA-SF and a TX loop.”

In June, Musk announced that his company completed the first segment of its tunnel under Los Angeles.

“It has begun boring and just completed the first segment of tunnel in LA,” he announced on June 28.

In April, Musk released a video demonstration of the concept of hyperloop. He had also revealed the planned route of the first tunnel.

To make a tunnel network feasible, tunnelling costs must be reduced,” The Boring Company said. – Xinhua