Future of car commuting, or just an expensive evolutionary dead-end?
One of the most futuristic solutions at CES 2023 was not very visible. It was in fact below ground.
The Vegas Loop is a proof-of-concept for the future of car commuting from The Boring Company, owned by Elon Musk.
The Las Vegas Convention Center Loop (LVCC Loop) is an impressive feat of engineering that was completed in just one year. This three-station transportation system consists of 1.7 miles (ca 2.7 km) of tunnels and cost approximately $47 million to build. The tunnels were built without any road closures or disturbances on the surface, according to the company.
The LVCC Loop reduces the 45-minute cross-campus walk time to just 2 minutes. This makes it much easier, safer and reliable for people to get around the convention area.
Being a proof-of-concept does mean that the electric Teslas are not autonomous - they are very much driven by humans. And passengers have to enter the tunnel with escalators - it does feel a little bit like a subway/metro experience.
When finished, the tunnel system will include the Las Vegas Convention Center, resorts along the Strip, Harry Reid International Airport, and downtown Las Vegas. This new solution promises to drastically reduce travel times. From ca 30 minutes to 3 minutes (during rush hour) from LVCC to the hotel Mandalay Bay.
The Loop is an important part of Las Vegas' infrastructure that will continue to serve visitors for years to come. And it's putting a smile on visitors' faces, says Senior Vice President Lori Nelson-Kraft, from Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, in an interview with BBC News.
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First and last tunnel?
In 2017, Elon Musk launched the Boring Company with the goal of solving traffic issues in urban centers. So far, it's only opened this one project in Las Vegas while others seem to have stalled.
The ambitious plans to dig a tunnel under Los Angeles to alleviate traffic congestion have been met with both excitement and skepticism. And the city of Los Angeles does not seem to have approved any digging on city property.
This particular tunnel technology is still in its infancy, and Musk himself admitted that its success is a long-shot. It is unlikely that The Boring Company will make significant progress anytime soon.
Nevertheless, many people are hopeful that this innovative solution could help reduce traffic congestion in some of America's busiest cities.
The question is how much cheaper and efficient it will be compared to existing commuter solutions. Perhaps the Vegas Loop will be the first and last tunnel from the Boring Company.
Helping municipalities, regions, and companies combat sedentary lifestyles by enticing people to develop the habit of frequent Walk & Talks and quiz-walks. Committed to PaP (FaR) and making wellness profitable.
1 年How was the experience? Seems The Boring Company might be on to something.
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1 年I've seen a few social media posts about being stuck in said tunnel- sounds like a nightmare to me! Glad you didn't have that experience.