Musk Takes Aim at L.A. Rail Costs
Elon Musk has once again sparked discussions about transportation in Los Angeles.
The tech mogul shared a post on X, suggesting that his tunneling venture could construct underground passages for a fraction of the cost of the Metro’s rail projects. He criticized conventional transportation strategies, asserting that tunneling is often “undervalued” as a more efficient and less expensive option.
Los Angeles is nearing completion of a 9-mile subway extension of the D Line (Purple Line), which runs from Koreatown to Westwood. This project is projected to cost around $9.5 billion overall, with some segments costing close to $1 billion per mile.
And that’s not the most ambitious plan on the horizon. The proposed Sepulveda Transport Corridor aims to create a fully underground line beneath the Santa Monica Mountains, stretching approximately 12 to 14 miles, with an estimated budget of $20 billion to $25 billion, set to potentially start serving passengers in the late 2030s or early 2040s.
In contrast, Musk’s Boring Company is working on a highway tunnel in Nashville, which is estimated to cost between $240 million and $300 million over a length of about 10 to 13 miles. While this cost is significantly lower than typical subway lines, the project remains incomplete, and the final expenses are yet to be determined.
It’s important to note, though, that the systems differ greatly. The Boring Company’s tunnels are much narrower and designed primarily for electric vehicles rather than large-capacity trains. They also include smaller stations and fewer safety features. While this design may reduce costs, it drastically limits passenger capacity compared to heavy rail systems.
Musk established his enterprise after expressing dissatisfaction with Los Angeles traffic and the delays in current infrastructure projects. Initial ideas for his company included a test tunnel in Hawthorne and a privately funded connection to Dodger Stadium. However, these faced significant challenges, such as environmental checks, permitting issues, and local opposition. Similar initiatives elsewhere, like in Chicago, also fell through.
Currently, the company’s most extensive operational site is the Vegas Loop in Las Vegas, funded by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau. This underground loop opened beneath the convention center in 2021. It uses Tesla vehicles to transport passengers through a compact tunnel and has served millions. Various stations are already in place, with aspirations for future expansions to cover the airport, a stadium, and downtown areas.
The privatized nature of the Vegas Loop allowed it to bypass numerous federal funding stipulations and protracted approval processes, enabling swifter progress than traditional public transportation initiatives.
