Elon Musk Just Opened the Boring Company's First Tunnel in LA
Just days after a report came out accusing Elon Musk of misusing SpaceX funds for his Boring Company Tunneling Project, the billionaire entrepreneur opened the first Boring Company Tunnel outside of Los Angeles, California.
Below the city of Hawthorne sits a 1.14 mile tunnel that Musk hopes will be the first step in ending "soul-destroying" traffic that plagues cities around the world. Musk's upstart hopes to build a series of tunnels that will ferry personal vehicles (or mass transit pods) at high speeds underneath the gridlocked traffic at surface level.
After multiple delays, The Boring Company introduced its first fully functioning test tunnel last night to an excited crowd of media and spectators.
While this is just the first iteration of the project, Musk displayed how vehicles would travel through the tunnel, which sits 40 feet below the earth's surface. Cars were outfitted with a set of alignment wheels to lock them into the track — bringing to mind the sense that the road car has transformed into a train car.
Since they are locked in, cars would potentially be able to travel at 150 mph. However, last night's test only had vehicles reaching about 50mph.
The ride was reportedly quite bumpy, hence the need to stay at a lower speed. Musk says that once they smooth out the track more, cars will be able to travel at full speed.
"We are obviously in the early stages here — this is a prototype and we are figuring things out," Musk said, according to The Washington Post. "What is really important is that there is a path finally, finally, finally I think … to alleviating traffic congestion in cities."
Video from the rides appear to show a system that actually works somewhat seamlessly, with cars being raised and lowered into the tunnel via elevators.
The tunnel is quite small at just 12 feet in diameter — significantly smaller than what cars or trains currently go travel through, but this is just one of Musk's ideas on how you can significantly cut down on the costs of tunneling projects. The Boring Company wants to revolutionize tunnel boring by making it cheaper and faster to build the underground tubes. According to Musk, the project cost $10 million, but The Washington Post pegs the total cost closer to $40 million. Either number is much cheaper than the cost per mile of other public transit tunnels, which can cost about 10 to 100 times that.
A significant cost of tunnel boring is actually associated with the large amount of dirt that's displaced during the digging process. So instead of spending heaps of cash on trucks to haul the dirt away, Boring is making bricks on-site and actually selling them to help turn a profit. Some of those bricks were even used to build a Monty Python Style Watchtower on the SpaceX property, where Boring's test tunnel is located.
Still, a project of building hundreds miles of tunnels and elevators to bring cars in and out of the system will require billions, if not trillions of dollars, countless environmental impact studies (which Boring was able to get waivers for in Los Angeles) and the buy-in from the public and government officials.
Musk has revealed plans for a potential system of tunnels below Los Angeles that could cost between $1 for a public ride on a shared "loop" vehicle or up to $4 if you want to drive your own car.
Chicago awarded Boring a $1 billion contract to construct a high-speed transit link between downtown Chicago and O'Hare International airport. It's announced other projects including a tunnel connecting the LA Dodgers' stadium to Los Feliz or East Hollywood and another that would link Washington, DC, and Baltimore.
H/T: The Washington Post
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.