May 27, 2024 – Elon Musk’s tunneling venture, The Boring Company, has recently achieved a significant milestone as its first underground loop in Las Vegas surpassed 2 million riders. This remarkable feat comes just one year after the company announced it had transported 1 million passengers, indicating a doubling of ridership in a short span of time.
The underground loop, located in Las Vegas, Nevada, serves as the inaugural project of The Boring Company’s underground transportation network and is currently operational. This loop is not just a standalone achievement but a stepping stone towards a more extensive vision.
The Las Vegas Loop, as it is called, represents the initial phase of a broader network that The Boring Company envisions. The company has already secured permits for an additional 81 stations in Las Vegas, expanding the reach of this innovative transportation system. Construction is underway to extend the existing LVCC tunnel to these new stations, with the approved stations mapped out on the company’s official website, highlighting the completed LVCC loop in orange.
“To solve the soul-destroying traffic, roads must go 3D, which means either flying cars or tunnels,” states The Boring Company on its website. “Unlike flying cars, tunnels are weatherproof and operate underground, so they won’t fall on your head.”
The company emphasizes that tunnels minimize the use of valuable surface land, avoid conflicts with existing transportation systems, and can alleviate traffic congestion in any city. As cities grow, more tunnel layers can be continuously added to accommodate the increasing demand.
In January of this year, it was reported that The Boring Company had acquired a new 1.8-acre plot in Las Vegas to expand the Las Vegas Loop and connect it to several planned stations around the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
According to the information on The Boring Company’s website regarding the LVCC Loop, the tunnel has a peak hourly capacity of 4,500 passengers and a daily capacity of approximately 32,000 passengers. Beyond the Las Vegas project, The Boring Company is also utilizing its Prufrock Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) to construct underground passageways at Tesla’s Gigafactory in Austin, Texas.
