Elon Musk’s Vegas Loop has been approved for expansion in Las Vegas. The Clark County Commission greenlighted last week 25 new miles of tunnels and 18 new stations for The Boring Co.’s transport system, a significant extension that brings the total mileage to 54 and the total stations to 67. The expansion was approved in a 6-1 vote last Wednesday.
The Boring Co., owned by billionaire Elon Musk, currently operates a small version of the loop under the Las Vegas Convention Center, connecting the various halls at the facility and to and from Resorts World. The transit system transports passengers in underground tunnels in Tesla Model X and Y cars.
Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick was the sole no vote, citing concerns that the system won’t account for local resort corridor employees who would benefit from using the system. “I’d be less likely to support any future expansions that didn’t take the employees into consideration,” Kirkpatrick said before voting against the expansion, as reported by Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The expansion will give riders new options on how to navigate the Las Vegas area, reports The Washington Times. For instance, users could make trips between the Harry Reid International Airport to the Las Vegas Convention Center which would take five minutes to travel the 4.9-mile route, at a cost of $10, according to Boring Co. Meanwhile, a sample trip from the convention center to downtown Las Vegas is pegged at $6 for a four-minute trip along the 3.6-mile route.
Some of the newly planned station locations include Chinatown, multiple stations at UNLV, Las Vegas Boulevard and Blue Diamond Road where the Oak View Arena/resort is planned, Town Square Las Vegas and Harmon Square.
The system could grow even more. The Boring Co. has plans to add more stations and tunnels in the city of Las Vegas’ jurisdiction. Some of those stations include the El Cortez, Palace Station, Symphony Park, World Market Center, Las Vegas Premium Outlets and the Medical District.
The newly added stations will not only offer more options to riders but also provide redundancy for the system, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority president and CEO Steve Hill told Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Sooner or later we’re going to become somewhat reliant on this form of transportation in Las Vegas,” he noted.
“If you need to do maintenance work in a tunnel, you need the ability to continue to use the system and not just shut it down because there’s something going on in one spot,” he explained. “It provides a lot of advantages, and the Boring Company is willing to do it under the same terms. We’re excited about that.”
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2023/05/08/67060-elon-musk-39s-vegas-loop-approved-for-expansion-taking-total-planned-stations-to-67
