Boring Expansion

It looks like the Boring Company - Elon Musk’s infrastructure group - has received approval for the Las Vegas Loop expansion they’ve been angling for.

The current tunnel runs about 1.7 miles beneath the Las Vegas Convention Center, turning a 25-minute walk into about a 2-minute ride below the ground.

The proposed expansion will eventually be over 34 miles, and have 55 stops. The project received unanimous approval from Las Vegas City Council.

And digging has already begun. In February, the Boring Company’s Prufrock-1 vehicle broke through at the Resorts World site, which will be one of the first major expansions under the Vegas Strip.

Progress has been slow going for the Vegas Loop, both bureaucratically and literally - the first demonstration of the loop left the riders bored at the 35mph speeds (The company had suggested much faster speeds were possible), and deeply anxious when a traffic jam bogged down the loop with over 90 cars in the tunnel.

Boring Co. President Steve Davis said tunneling in downtown Las Vegas could begin in 2023: "This is step two and there are eight steps for us to be opening. There's a long way to go and a lot of work to do. But if I were to guess on the spot I would guess we'd have machines in (the ground) next calendar year."

Davis also said a ride from Fremont Street Experience downtown to Reid International would cost about $12 and take around eight or nine minutes.

Once complete, the company expects low ride times and costs, easing the burden on traffic-riddled roads. The Vegas Loop will also be an important proof of concept for the company, as they’ve spent the last couple of years reaching out to various townships and cities hoping to build more tunnels.

Onwards and downwards, Vegas.