The Boring Company (TBC) is no longer interested in building an underground tunnel linking Rancho Cucamonga and the Ontario International Airport in California.
TBC submitted an unsolicited proposal to the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) in 2019. The proposal was for a nearly 3 mile (4.8km) tunnel built 35 feet underground that would cost the county between $45 and $60 million at the time.
An underground tunnel was initially seen as an attractive alternative to light rail, which was substantially more expensive at an estimated cost of about $1.5 billion.
After some negotiations in 2021 the SBCTA decided they wanted a third-party report to study the project impacts. As part of that process TBC had to submit another proposal, but apparently they weren’t interested in going that route and didn’t submit one.
SBCTA spokesperson Tim Watkins said to the Daily Bulletin, “it was their choice.” SBCTA board member Janice Rutherford added, “Apparently Boring is just not ready to deal with California bureaucracy/rules.”
The project isn’t dead though, as the SBCTA still wants to build a tunnel and will be seeking proposals from other tunnel companies.
According to a preliminary schedule the tunnel is expected to begin construction in early 2024 and be operational by the fall of 2027. The total project cost is now estimated at $492 million.
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