The North Central Texas Council of Governments has been speaking with Elon Musk‘s The Boring Company, as they begin exploring the use of tunnels for transportation.
Brian Wilson, a spokesperson for NCTCOG, said in an email to the Dallas Business Journal, “We have had initial conversations with The Boring Company, which has expressed interest in partnering with entities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area on projects of mutual benefit.”
He also added, “The North Central Texas Council of Governments is working on a process that will allow us to have discussions with transportation technology companies and integrate them into the public transportation planning process.”
Their plan is to present the draft process to the regional transportation council this summer.
NCTCOG is a voluntary association that has been in operation for more than 5 decades that is made up of local governments to assist in regional planning. Their mandate is to strengthen both the individual and collective power of local governments and to help them recognize regional opportunities, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and make joint decisions.
The Boring Company, which is known for its recent projects in Las Vegas, has submitted plans to construct a 10 km tunnel in Miami. Musk’s company has taken the concept of using tunnels to provide extra thoroughfare for commuters, utilities, and freight transportation.
The “Loop” offering is a 12-foot diameter tunnel allowing for vehicles to enter and exit at stations at either end or along the way. The system includes a drive surface, LED lighting, backup lighting, cell phone service, fire safety, and ventilation.
“Technology has an important role to play in the development of the Dallas-Fort Worth transportation system, and our region continues to attract leaders in the field of transportation innovation,” Wilson said. “Having a formal process in place will help us efficiently and fairly meet the transportation needs of the growing population well into the future.”
In 2015 Texas had 21,864,841 registered cars, 5 years later in 2020 they had 23,007,146. That’s almost a 10% increase in the number of vehicles in Texas which explains why governments are looking for methods to alleviate traffic in the near future.
Texas seems to be favorable for Musk’s companies as SpaceX has a launch site in Boca Chica, as well as the newly built Gigafactory and the recent move of Tesla headquarters to Austin.
Boring Company manufacturing facility plans hit a snag in Texas
Source: Austin Business Journal
