Boring Co. proposes tunnel to beach
Underground transit loop would help address traffic congestion
FORT LAUDERDALE — Talk of an underground tunnel from downtown Fort Lauderdale to the beach is about to get real.
Mayor Dean Trantalis on Wednesday announced what he called a game-changer of a proposal from Elon Musk’s Boring Co. to build an underground transit loop between downtown and the beach.
Fort Lauderdale would be the first city on the East Coast — and only the second city in the world — to benefit from The Boring Co.’s technology, Trantalis said.
Commissioners are expected to vote Tuesday on whether to accept the unsolicited proposal. If they vote yes, it will trigger a process where other companies can put in bids and compete against The Boring Co.
Called “The Las Olas Loop,” the plan represents an innovative and unprecedented approach to
addressing traffic congestion and transit needs in 21st-century America, Trantalis said.
Trantalis envisions a pair of 3-mile underground tunnels — one for each direction — that would transport riders from downtown to the beach for as little as $5 a pop.
The tunnels, each 12 feet wide, would transport passengers under Las Olas Boulevard all the way to State Road A1A, with several stops along the way. The cost: Boring Co. officials say they can get it done for around $10 million to $12 million a mile.
Trantalis says it’s too soon to say how the city would pay for the tunnel. Those discussions will come later, he said.
“The main routes to the beach are frequently overwhelmed with traffic,” the mayor said. “State Road A1A is at its capacity, and neighborhoods off Las Olas Boulevard are frustrated by traffic tie-ups and concerned about the ability of emergency responders to access their homes. An underground transit loop could remove both tourists and beachgoers from western suburbs from street-level traffic. That would provide quicker and more efficient access between downtown and the beach for everyone.”
Fort Lauderdale and The Boring Co. made initial contact early this year to discuss underground alternatives to the construction of a high-rise commuter rail bridge over the New River. When Boring Co. officials visited Fort Lauderdale, they asked what other transportation needs the city might need, the mayor said.
State law prohibits the release of the specifics of the current proposal until the conclusion of the competitive process, Trantalis noted.
The Boring Co. built an underground loop in Las Vegas in about a year. Launched earlier this month, it runs the breadth of the region’s massive convention center and is in the process of being expanded throughout the city.
The $52 million Vegas Loop consists of two one-way tunnels that whisk passengers between three stations in regular Teslas.
Unlike a subway system, the number of cars can vary based on demand. And passengers can go directly to their destination without multiple stops in between.
Following the mayor’s lead, Vice Mayor Heather Moraitis and Commissioner Steve Glassman both traveled to Nevada in May to tour the Vegas Loop.
Moraitis was impressed enough to ship off a letter for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis asking for state money to help pay for a tunnel in Fort Lauderdale to help alleviate downtown’s congestion.
She had not heard back as of Wednesday but said she remained hopeful that the state would partner with Fort Lauderdale on the project.
How to pay for the tunnel is just one question at the top of Glassman’s mind.
“Maybe they should pay for it and charge the ticket for people using it,” he said of The Boring Co. “If we do have to pay for it, are there state and federal moneys available? What about the county’s transportation sales tax?”
Skeptics question whether a tunnel even makes sense considering Florida’s geography and high water table.
“I have lots of questions and concerns, but I’m keeping an open mind at this time,” Glassman said. “When we vet this proposal — and it will be vetted — we have to dig much deeper, no pun intended, on what this project entails.
“I’m not a professional when it comes to our water table and the soil. Those are the professionals we have to speak to. It’s very important.”
The tragic collapse of the Champlain condo building last week in Surfside also gives him pause, Glassman said.
“We are all very sensitive right now in light of what happened in Surfside,” he said. “Dealing with the foundation [of the tunnel] and how it will impact all of the development around it.”