Elon Musk Wants To Dig Tunnels Under Another Major City
People did point out the potential safety issues in the wake of these incidents. Namely, the fact that the tunnel is pretty narrow and it doesn't seem like it would be very easy to get out of in case of emergency.
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Nobody likes traffic jams, but Elon Musk is especially opposed to these everyday annoyances. His solution to this travel woe is underground tunnels that would reduce the number of people needing to take highways in major traffic areas, decreasing the number of cars on the road overall. The tunnels, called Hyperloops, are already in operation in California and Las Vegas, but now Musk is looking to expand operations to Miami, Florida next.
The way the Hyperloops work is fairly simple. People can hop in a Tesla that will take them through the tunnel to several waypoints, dropping them off where they want to leave. In theory, it’s basically just another form of public transportation, albeit a pretty fancy one. Everyone would likely be in favor of less traffic, but it does seem like Elon Musk still has some kinks to iron out. Lately, the Hyperloops have been in the news for the exact problems they’re trying to solve — traffic jams in the tunnels. The tunnels have been backed up a few times, though it doesn’t appear that this is an incredibly frequent occurrence.
People did point out the potential safety issues in the wake of these incidents. Namely, the fact that the tunnel is pretty narrow and it doesn’t seem like it would be very easy to get out of in case of emergency. Hopefully, Elon Musk is considering these issues as he continues to install Hyperloops in major cities like Miami.
One thing that Elon Musk will definitely need to consider is how much value these tunnels can actually add. With cities like Miami, there are already extensive public transit systems. With the six miles of Loop being added and the seven stations it stops at, is there going to be enough capacity to make a meaningful difference? Perhaps if this is just a test run for further infrastructure, it can change things up, but for now, it seems like a minimal solution to a pretty large, and complex problem.
Taking a look at the website for Elon Musk’s The Boring Company reveals more information about these tunnels. The ultimate goal is less traffic and congestion, more beautified cities, and more transportation options for citizens. Again, the theoretical benefits are sound. Normal weather doesn’t affect tunnel operations, they don’t use up any additional land, and there’s potential for a large number of tunnels to be built, relieving traffic at a greater scale. However, the cost of digging these tunnels is also a huge barrier, so these operations will need to be more cost-effective to truly be implemented at the scale needed to make a notable difference.
Regardless of your thoughts on Elon Musk’s tunnels, it looks like the proposal has the support of the city officials. If the proposal is approved, The Boring Company will likely get to work building the tunnel as soon as possible. So Miami residents will have to see for themselves if the additional transport is worth the cost and the construction efforts. Worst case scenario, it’s probably fun to take a ride through them every now and then.
