{{short description|American infrastructure and tunneling company}} {{Distinguish|The Boeing Company}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}} {{Use American English|date=June 2023}} {{Infobox company | name = The Boring Company | type = Private | logo = frameless|class=skin-invert | founded = {{Start date and age|2017|01|11}}<!-- in city, state, country --> | founder = Elon Musk | equity_year = April 2022 | num_employees = <400<ref>{{cite web |title=[Exclusive] Elon Musk: A future worth getting excited about – TED – Tesla Gigafactory interview |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRvf00NooN8&t=3370s |website=Youtube | date=April 17, 2022 |publisher=TED |access-date=19 April 2022}}</ref> | num_employees_year = April 2022 | location = Bastrop, Texas, United States<ref name=nce20230403/> | area_served = <!-- or: | areas_served = --> | key_people = {{plainlist| * Steve Davis (CEO and president)<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Holmes |first1=Aaron |last2=Tabahriti |first2=Sam |date=December 24, 2022 |title=The CEO of Elon Musk's Boring Company who reportedly slept at Twitter HQ with his wife and baby once owned a bar called 'Thomas Foolery' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-davis-boring-company-elon-musk-career-bio-2019-11 |website=Business Insider}}</ref> }} | owner = Elon Musk | industry = Construction | products = | homepage = {{URL|https://boringcompany.com}} }} {{Elon Musk series}} '''The Boring Company''' ('''TBC''') is an American infrastructure, tunnel construction service, and equipment company founded by Elon Musk. TBC was founded as a subsidiary of SpaceX in 2017, and was spun off as a separate corporation in 2018. TBC has completed multiple test tunnels and one tunneling project that is open to the public.
In 2018, TBC completed one test tunnel in Los Angeles County, California. In 2021, TBC completed the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) Loop, a three-station transportation system with {{convert|1.7|miles}} of tunnels. As of April 2024, a segment to Resorts World Las Vegas is also open, and tunnels to Encore and Westgate resorts are being finalized. The system is planned to expand to a total of {{Convert|68|miles|km}} of tunnels.
Many other TBC projects in cities across the United States were announced, but subsequently became inactive or were canceled.<ref name="wsj_Q115488224" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Boring Company |url=https://www.boringcompany.com/ |access-date=2024-08-21 |website=The Boring Company |language=en-US}}</ref>
In October 2025, TBC began trialing self-driving vehicles with a safety driver on one section of the Las Vegas Loop.<ref>{{Cite news |author=Akers |first=Mick |date=November 10, 2025 |title=Boring Co. Vegas Loop: Hop in and ride a self-driving Tesla through tunnels |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/news-columns/road-warrior/boring-co-vegas-loop-whats-it-like-to-take-a-self-driving-tesla-through-the-tunnel-system-3535590/ |newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal}}</ref>
== History == thumb|Elon Musk discusses the Boring Company at TED 2017. Musk announced the idea of the Boring Company in December 2016,<ref name="Gajanan 2016 b795">{{cite web | last=Gajanan | first=Mahita | title=Elon Musk's Next Venture to Tackle Traffic Is Totally 'Boring' | website=Fortune | date=2016-12-18 | url=https://fortune.com/2016/12/18/elon-musk-traffic-boring/ | access-date=2023-08-14}}</ref> and it was officially registered as "TBC – The Boring Company" on January 11, 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-01-11 |title=TBC – THE BORING COMPANY |url=https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_de/6279803 |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=OpenCorporates}}</ref> Musk cited difficulty with Los Angeles traffic, and what he sees as limitations of its two-dimensional transportation network, as his early inspiration for the project.<ref name="Chafkin">{{cite web |last=Chafkin |first=Max |date=February 16, 2017 |title=Elon Musk Is Really Boring |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-02-16/elon-musk-is-really-boring |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216113314/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-02-16/elon-musk-is-really-boring |archive-date=February 16, 2017 |access-date=February 16, 2017 |publisher=Bloomberg |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{cite web |url=https://gizmodo.com/elon-musk-on-digging-big-ass-tunnel-we-have-no-idea-wh-1791803837 |title=Elon Musk on Digging Big-Ass Tunnel: 'We Have No Idea What We're Doing' |last=Peyser |first=Eve |date=January 30, 2017 |publisher=Gizmodo |access-date=February 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219045530/http://gizmodo.com/elon-musk-on-digging-big-ass-tunnel-we-have-no-idea-wh-1791803837 |archive-date=February 19, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The Boring Company was formed as a SpaceX subsidiary.<ref name=hawthore20180911>[http://hawthorne-ca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=490&meta_id=35783 Agenda Item No. 9, City of Hawthorne City Council, Agenda Bill] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224164217/http://hawthorne-ca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=490&meta_id=35783 |date=February 24, 2021 }}, 11 September 2018, Planning & Community Development Department, City of Hawthorne. Retrieved 13 September 2018.</ref> According to Musk, the company's goal is to enhance tunneling speed enough such that establishing a tunnel network is financially feasible.<ref name="Thompson">{{cite web |last1=Thompson |first1=Avery |date=February 16, 2017 |title=Elon Musk Is Really Making a Boring Company |url=http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/infrastructure/a25257/elon-musk-boring-company/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428050842/http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/infrastructure/a25257/elon-musk-boring-company/ |archive-date=April 28, 2017 |access-date=April 27, 2017 |website=Popular Mechanics |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite magazine |last=Heathman |first=Amelia |title=Elon Musk's boring machine has already built a 'test trench' in Hawthorne, CA |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/elon-musk-tunnel-boring |url-status=live |language=en-Glenn Beck |location=UK |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170718214211/http://www.wired.co.uk/article/elon-musk-tunnel-boring |archive-date=July 18, 2017 |access-date=February 19, 2017 |newspaper=Wired |df=mdy-all}}</ref> [[File:Elon Musk Accelerates the Boring (45716125474).jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Elon Musk speaking at the inauguration of the test tunnel in Hawthorne, California, December 2018]]
In early 2018, the Boring Company was spun out from SpaceX and into a separate corporate entity.<ref name="wsj20181217">{{cite news |last=Copeland |first=Rob |date=17 December 2018 |title=Elon Musk's New Boring Co. Faced Questions Over SpaceX Financial Ties |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musks-new-boring-co-faced-questions-over-spacex-financial-ties-11545078371 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181218044810/https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musks-new-boring-co-faced-questions-over-spacex-financial-ties-11545078371 |archive-date=December 18, 2018 |access-date=18 December 2018 |work=The Wall Street Journal |quote=When the Boring Co. was earlier this year spun into its own firm, more than 90% of the equity went to Mr. Musk and the rest to early employees, ... The Boring Co. has since given some equity to SpaceX as compensation for the help, ... about 6% of Boring stock, "based on the value of land, time and other resources contributed since creation of the company". |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Early employees came from a variety of different backgrounds, including those from SpaceX. The company completed several tests in Hawthorne, California and showcased a test tunnel on December 18, 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lekach |first=Sasha |date=December 7, 2018 |title=In true Musk fashion, Boring Company test tunnel opening pushed back a week |url=https://mashable.com/article/elon-musk-boring-company-test-tunnel-postponed/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181214022523/https://mashable.com/article/elon-musk-boring-company-test-tunnel-postponed/ |archive-date=December 14, 2018 |access-date=2018-12-11 |website=Mashable |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
After raising US$113 million from Musk himself, supplemented by TBC merchandise sales during 2018,<ref name="bloomberg20190725">{{Cite news |date=2019-07-25 |title=Elon Musk's Boring Co. Raises $120 Million in First Outside Investment |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-25/elon-musk-s-boring-co-raises-120-million-in-first-outside-investment |access-date=2024-07-06 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}</ref> the Boring Company sold $120 million in stock to venture capital firms in July 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Khalid |first1=Amrita |title=Elon Musk's Boring Co. raises $120 million in outside funding |url=https://www.engadget.com/2019/07/25/elon-musk-raises-120-million-boring-co/ |work=Engadget |date=June 26, 2019 |language=en |access-date=July 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726034350/https://www.engadget.com/2019/07/25/elon-musk-raises-120-million-boring-co/ |archive-date=July 26, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
By November 2019, Steve Davis had become company president after leading efforts for Musk since 2016. Davis was one of the earliest hires at SpaceX (in 2003) and has twin master's degrees in particle physics and aerospace engineering, as well as degrees in finance and mechanical engineering.<ref name="bloomberg2019115">{{cite news |last=McBride |first=Sarah |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-15/elon-musk-s-boring-co-is-run-by-a-former-bar-owner-who-can-quote-ayn-rand |title=Elon Musk's Boring Co. Is Run by a Former Bar Owner Who Can Quote Ayn Rand |work=Bloomberg News |date=15 November 2019 |access-date=10 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210045125/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-15/elon-musk-s-boring-co-is-run-by-a-former-bar-owner-who-can-quote-ayn-rand |archive-date=December 10, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Vance |first=Ashlee |author-link=Ashlee Vance |year=2017|orig-date=2015 |title=Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future |edition=2nd |location=New York |publisher=Ecco |isbn=978-0-06-230125-3 |ref=Vance}}</ref> In November 2020, TBC announced hiring for positions in Austin, Texas, and by December 2020 had leased two buildings in a {{Convert|14|acres|adj=on}} industrial complex northeast of Austin, approximately {{convert|16|miles}} north of Texas Gigafactory.<ref>{{cite news |title=Elon Musk's The Boring Co. grabs industrial space in Pflugerville, documents show |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2020/12/15/elon-musks-boring-co-leases-space-in-pflugerville.html |last=Hardison |first=Kathryn |work=Austin Business Journal |date=15 December 2020 |access-date=25 December 2020 |archive-date=January 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107042249/https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2020/12/15/elon-musks-boring-co-leases-space-in-pflugerville.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
On April 20, 2022, the company announced an additional $675 million Series C funding round, valuing the company at approximately $5.675 billion.<ref name="wsj_Q115488224">{{Cite Q|Q115488224|access-date=2022-11-28}}</ref> The round was led by Vy Capital and Sequoia Capital,<ref name="wsj_Q115488224" /> with participation from Valor Equity Partners, Founders Fund, 8VC, Craft Ventures, and DFJ Growth. In 2022, the company was cited by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for five violations of Texas environmental regulations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Girtman |first=Taylor |date=2023-04-05 |title=Boring Company cited for 3 more TCEQ violations at Bastrop facility |url=https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/boring-company-cited-for-3-more-tceq-violations-at-bastrop-facility/ |access-date=2024-03-27 |website=KXAN Austin |language=en-US}}</ref>
Sometime before April 2023, the company moved their headquarters and engineering facilities to Bastrop, Texas,<ref name="nce20230403" /> approximately {{convert|25|miles}} east of Texas Gigafactory.{{cn|date=September 2025}}
== Promotion ==
=== Merchandise === In 2018, the company began offering 20,000 "flamethrowers" for preordering.<ref name="Horowitz 2018 j526">{{cite web | last=Horowitz | first=Julia | title=Elon Musk's Boring Company is now raising money by selling flamethrowers | website=CNN Money | date=2018-01-28 | url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/01/28/news/musk-boring-company-flamethrowers/index.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180128220854/http://money.cnn.com/2018/01/28/news/musk-boring-company-flamethrowers/index.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 28, 2018 | access-date=2023-08-07}}</ref> The "flamethrower" was a blow torch shaped to look like a gun and is legal in all U.S. states except Maryland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/01/29/musk_flamethrower_boring/|title=Timeout everyone. Y'all know that Musk's $500 'flamethrower' is literally a Boring blowtorch?|publisher=Situation Publishing|access-date=January 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130021422/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/01/29/musk_flamethrower_boring/|archive-date=January 30, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> All 20,000 "flamethrowers" were sold in just a few days.<ref name="Gibbs 2018 c919">{{cite web | last=Gibbs | first=Samuel | title=Elon Musk sells all 20,000 Boring Company 'flamethrowers' | website=The Guardian | date=2018-02-01 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/01/elon-musk-sells-out-boring-company-flamethrowers-fire | access-date=2024-03-11}}</ref> After customs officials said that they would not allow imports of any items called "flamethrowers", Musk announced that he would rename them to "Not-A-Flamethrower" since the devices were in fact akin to roofing torches. Musk announced separate sales of a fire extinguisher, which he described as "overpriced... but this one comes with a cool sticker".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/29/16948090/elon-musk-boring-company-flamethrower-california-sales-ban-miguel-santiago|title=California politician will seek sale ban on Elon Musk's Boring Company flamethrower|work=The Verge|access-date=2018-02-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180204055415/https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/29/16948090/elon-musk-boring-company-flamethrower-california-sales-ban-miguel-santiago|archive-date=February 4, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
=== Not-a-Boring Competition ===
In 2020, TBC released rules for a student tunnel-boring competition. The first competition was held in Las Vegas in September 2021.<ref name=intengineering20210923/> Officially named the Not-a-Boring Competition, the challenge was to "quickly and accurately drill a tunnel that was {{cvt|30|m|ft|adj=mid|-long}} and {{cvt|30|cm|ft|adj=mid|-wide}}".<ref name=intengineering20210923/>
Applications were received from 400 potential participants. A technical design review left 12 teams that were invited to Las Vegas to demonstrate their engineering solution in a September 2021 competition. The winning team was ''TUM Boring'' from Technical University of Munich who managed to excavate a {{cvt|22|m|ft}} bore while meeting the requisite safety requirements. ''TUM Boring'' used a conventional pipe jacking method to build the tunnel, but employed a novel revolving pipe storage design to minimize downtime between pipe segments.<ref name=intengineering20210923>{{cite news |title=Musk's Boring Company Announces Not-a-Boring Competition Winner |url=https://interestingengineering.com/musks-boring-company-announces-not-a-boring-competition-winner |last=Paleja|first=Ameya |work=Interesting Engineering |date=23 September 2021 |access-date=26 September 2021 }}</ref>
A second competition was held in April 2023. New contest criteria required a {{cvt|30|m}}-long {{cvt|500|mm}}-diameter, this time with a turn radius. Five teams from four countries—the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, and Switzerland—made the finals and journeyed to Texas to compete. ''TUM Boring'' again won with a design that reached a maximum velocity of {{cvt|7|mm/s}}.<ref name=nce20230403>{{cite magazine |title=Technical University of Munich team secures second tunnelling win in Elon Musk's Not-a-Boring-Competition |url=https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/technical-university-of-munich-team-secures-second-tunnelling-win-in-elon-musks-not-a-boring-competition-03-04-2023/ |magazine=New Civil Engineer |date=3 April 2023 |access-date=19 June 2023 }}</ref> ''Swissloop Tunneling'' finished second overall and won the innovation award.<ref name="Numbers 2023 p313">{{cite web | last=Numbers | first=the | title=Swiss Hyperloop Team wins top prize for Innovation at "Not-A-Boring Competition" | website=AJOT | date=2023-04-13 | url=https://www.ajot.com/news/swiss-hyperloop-team-wins-top-prize-for-innovation-at-not-a-boring-competition | access-date=2024-03-13}}</ref>
== Machines ==
thumb|upright=1.2|The boring machine in June 2019 The first boring machine used by TBC was Godot, a conventional tunnel boring machine (TBM) made by Lovat.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Wattles |first=Jackie |date=2017-07-08 |title=All the quirky details you need to know about Elon Musk's Boring company |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/07/08/technology/future/elon-musk-boring-company/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322205737/https://money.cnn.com/2017/07/08/technology/future/elon-musk-boring-company/index.html |archive-date=March 22, 2020 |access-date=2020-03-22 |website=CNN Money}}</ref><ref name="Loveday 2017 e553">{{cite web | last=Loveday | first=Steven | title=Yet Another Boring Backstory | website=Inside EVs | date=2017-08-13 | url=https://insideevs.com/news/332635/yet-another-boring-backstory/ | access-date=2023-08-07}}</ref> The next line of machines were called Prufrock.<ref name="wired2018">{{cite magazine | first=Aarian | last=Marshall | title=Elon Musk's Boring Company Wins a Big Boring Contract in Chicago | magazine=Wired | date=2018-06-14 | url=https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-boring-company-contract-chicago/ | access-date=2023-08-07}}</ref> The company claimed that Prufrock 2 could dig up to a mile per week, with the goal to dig up to seven miles per day for the next machine.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite web |last=Dent |first=Steve|title=Elon Musk's Boring Company plans to 'significantly' expand after funding round |url=https://www.engadget.com/elon-musks-boring-company-plans-to-significantly-expand-after-funding-round-124527584.html |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=Engadget |date=April 21, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Calin |first=Razvan |date=2022-10-22 |title=Elon Musk's Prufrock Makes Boring Exciting With Porpoise-Style, Purpose-Driven Drills |url=https://www.autoevolution.com/news/elon-musk-s-prufrock-makes-boring-exciting-with-porpoise-style-purpose-driven-drills-201894.html |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=autoevolution |language=en}}</ref> Expert opinion on whether the company can speed up tunneling is mixed, with Marte Gutierrez, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the Colorado School of Mines noting that Musk may try to achieve this by digging tunnels with a smaller diameter<ref name="wired2018"></ref>
== Process == {{Unreliable sources section|date=October 2025}} === Porpoising === Replace tunnel entry and exit excavations by having the TBM "porpoise" in and out of the ground. The TBM is trucked in and placed at an angle to the ground. (Prufrock 2 and 3 required an earthen ramp to set it at the correct angle before beginning to tunnel). It then bores into the ground. It changes angles as it continues boring, eventually returning to the surface and being loaded onto the truck.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last=Karen |first=Ashley |date=2023-05-21 |title=Six Ways Tunnel Boring Machines are Evolving |url=https://tunnelingworld.com/news/six-ways-tunnel-boring-machines-are-evolving/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Tunneling World |language=en-US}}</ref>
In conventional systems, one large excavation is made at the tunnel entrance to allow the TBM to be lowered to the tunnel depth and assembled. A similar excavation is made at the tunnel exit to allow the TBM to be disassembled and lifted out.<ref name=":11" />
=== Liner truck === TBC moves tunnel lining segments into the tunnel via an all-electric autonomous, wheeled liner truck powered by motors and batteries from Tesla. Conventional systems typically use a diesel rail system, which must be constructed along with the tunnel lining.<ref name="r399">{{cite web | last=Wang | first=Brian | title=Boring Company Speeds Up Tunneling. Vegas Loop Tunnels Could Finish in 2025 | website=NextBigFuture | date=2024-03-06 | url=https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2024/03/boring-company-speeds-up-tunneling-vegas-tunnels-could-finish-in-2025.html | access-date=2025-01-27}}</ref>
=== Continuous tunneling === TBC is working to install ring liners without stopping tunneling. Conventional systems stop every five feet or so to install another segment of the tunnel lining, and to extend the rail line. The goal is to increase tunneling time/day from 11 hours to 24 hours.<ref name=":14">{{Cite web |last=Wang |first=Brian |date=2024-08-15 |title=Boring Company Path to Continuous Tunneling {{!}} NextBigFuture.com |url=https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2024/08/boring-company-path-to-continuous-tunneling.html |access-date=2024-08-19 |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Active projects ==
=== Hawthorne test tunnel === thumb|upright=1.2|Tunnel built in Hawthorne, December 2018 {{Excerpt|Hawthorne test tunnel|only=paragraph}}
=== Vegas Loop === {{Excerpt|Vegas Loop}}
=== Dubai Loop === {{Excerpt|Dubai Loop}}
===Music City Loop=== {{Excerpt|Music City Loop}}
== Inactive and cancelled projects ==
=== United States ===
==== Washington, DC to Baltimore, Maryland ==== In 2017, Musk announced plans to build a Hyperloop connecting Washington, DC to Baltimore.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Wong|first1=Julia Carrie |author-link=Julia Carrie Wong |first2=Sam |last2=Levin|date=20 July 2017|title=Elon Musk: I got 'government approval' for New York-DC Hyperloop. Officials: no he didn't|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/20/elon-musk-hyperloop-verbal-government-approval|url-status=live|access-date=18 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418193153/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/20/elon-musk-hyperloop-verbal-government-approval|archive-date=April 18, 2019}}</ref> This was supplanted in 2018 by a proposal to build a route following the Baltimore–Washington Parkway.<ref>{{Cite web |last=LeBeau |first=Phil |date=2019-04-18 |title=Musk's Boring Company pushes aggressive Baltimore-to-D.C. tunnel plan despite skeptics |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/18/musks-boring-company-pushes-baltimore-dc-tunnel-plan-despite-skeptics.html |access-date=2023-05-29 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref> The Maryland Transportation Authority officially approved the project.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Muoio |first=Danielle |title=Maryland's Governor said to 'get ready' for Elon Musk's Hyperloop that will connect Baltimore and Washington D.C. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-hyperloop-maryland-larry-hogan-boring-company-2017-10 |access-date=2023-04-14 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2019, a draft Environmental Assessment for the project was completed.<ref name="Snyder 2019 h030">{{cite web | last=Snyder | first=Tanya | title=Elon Musk's D.C.-to-Baltimore 'loop' leaps an early milestone | website=Politico | date=2019-04-17 | url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/17/elon-musk-dc-baltimore-loop-1279708 | access-date=2023-09-05}}</ref> As of 2021, the project was no longer listed on the company website, the federal government had received no indication the company wanted to move forward, TBC dropped a Maryland lobbyist it had hired for the project, and the company declined to comment on the project.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Duncan|first=Ian|title=Elon Musk's Boring Company removes D.C.-Baltimore tunnel from list of projects on website|language=en-US|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/elon-musk-hyperloop/2021/04/16/b340314e-9edd-11eb-9d05-ae06f4529ece_story.html|access-date=2021-04-18|issn=0190-8286|archive-date=August 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210823172841/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/elon-musk-hyperloop/2021/04/16/b340314e-9edd-11eb-9d05-ae06f4529ece_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
==== Chicago, Illinois ==== In 2018, the company won a bid to build a high-speed link from downtown Chicago to O'Hare Airport, to be known as the Chicago Express Loop.<ref name="suntimes20180320">{{cite web|title=O'Hare Express competition down to two – and Elon Musk is one of them|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/ohare-express-competition-down-to-two-and-elon-musk-is-one-of-them/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325050559/https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/ohare-express-competition-down-to-two-and-elon-musk-is-one-of-them/|archive-date=March 25, 2018|access-date=March 24, 2018|work=Chicago Sun-Times|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Elon Musk's Boring Co. Wins Chicago Airport High-Speed Train Bid|website=Bloomberg News| date=June 14, 2018 |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-14/elon-musk-s-boring-co-wins-chicago-airport-high-speed-train-bid|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614081621/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-14/elon-musk-s-boring-co-wins-chicago-airport-high-speed-train-bid|archive-date=June 14, 2018|access-date=June 14, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Geuss|first1=Megan|date=14 June 2018|title=Chicago selects Elon Musk's Boring Company to build express line from O'Hare|work=Ars Technica|url=https://arstechnica.com/cars/2018/06/chicago-selects-elon-musks-boring-company-to-build-express-line-from-ohare/|url-status=live|access-date=14 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614103635/https://arstechnica.com/cars/2018/06/chicago-selects-elon-musks-boring-company-to-build-express-line-from-ohare/|archive-date=June 14, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref> As of 2021, the plan had been dropped.<ref name="nbc20210608">{{cite news |last=Farivar |first=Cyrus |date=8 June 2021 |title=Fort Lauderdale officials say Elon Musk's new tunnel to the beach can't come fast enough |work=NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/urban-tunnels-musk-s-boring-co-draw-industry-skepticism-n1269677 |url-status=live |access-date=2021-07-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210703130707/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/urban-tunnels-musk-s-boring-co-draw-industry-skepticism-n1269677 |archive-date=July 3, 2021}}</ref>
==== Los Angeles, California ==== In 2018, TBC proposed to develop a {{convert|2.7|mile|km|adj=mid|-long}} test tunnel on a north–south alignment parallel to Interstate 405 and adjacent to Sepulveda Boulevard.<ref name="musk20180517">{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwX9G38vdCE|title=The Boring Company Information Session|people=Elon Musk, Steve Davis|publisher=The Boring Company|location=Leo Baeck Temple, Los Angeles, California|access-date=20 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520020750/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwX9G38vdCE|archive-date=May 20, 2018|url-status=live|medium=video|via=YouTube|df=mdy-all}}</ref>{{rp|25:50}} Public opposition and lawsuits led the company to abandon the idea.<ref name="tc20181128">{{Cite news|date=28 November 2018|title=Elon Musk's Boring Co. drops LA Westside tunnel plan|work=TechCrunch|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/28/elon-musks-boring-co-drops-la-westside-tunnel-plan/|url-status=live|access-date=28 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128133124/https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/28/elon-musks-boring-co-drops-la-westside-tunnel-plan/|archive-date=November 28, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ho |first=Vivian |date=2018-11-29 |title=Elon Musk scraps plans for Los Angeles tunnel after lawsuit settlement |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/nov/28/elon-musk-underground-tunnel-los-angeles-lawsuit |access-date=2023-03-24 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Also in 2018, the company proposed to build a {{convert|3.6|mile|adj=on}} tunnel called the "Dugout Loop" from Vermont Avenue to Dodger Stadium. {{As of|2021|June}}, the project had been removed from TBC's website.<ref name="nbc20210608" />
==== San Jose, California ==== In 2019, a link between San Jose International Airport and Diridon station, was discussed as an alternative to an $800 million traditional rail link.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Deruy |first1=Emily |date=February 5, 2019 |title=San Jose: Mayor in talks with Elon Musk's Boring Company for airport tunnel |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/02/05/san-jose-mayor-in-talks-with-elon-musks-boring-company/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190206020548/https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/02/05/san-jose-mayor-in-talks-with-elon-musks-boring-company/ |archive-date=February 6, 2019 |access-date=February 6, 2019 |work=The Mercury News}}</ref> Plans were later dropped.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kay |first=Grace |title=Elon Musk's The Boring Company was launched after traffic was driving the founder 'nuts' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-the-boring-company |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref>
==== San Bernardino County, California ==== In February 2021, the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) in California approved beginning contract negotiations with TBC to build a nearly {{convert|4|mile|km|adj=mid}} tunnel connecting the Ontario airport with the Rancho Cucamonga Metrolink/Future Brightline West train station.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-05 |title=Ontario airport tunnel project by Elon Musk moves to next phase |url=https://www.dailybulletin.com/2021/02/04/ontario-airport-tunnel-project-by-elon-musk-moves-to-next-phase |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416104120/https://www.dailybulletin.com/2021/02/04/ontario-airport-tunnel-project-by-elon-musk-moves-to-next-phase/ |archive-date=April 16, 2021 |access-date=2021-07-16 |website=Daily Bulletin |language=en-US}}</ref> However, TBC did not submit a proposal after a third party was involved to study the project impacts.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-19 |title=Elon Musk might not build tunnel to Ontario Airport after all |url=https://www.dailybulletin.com/2022/07/19/elon-musk-may-not-build-tunnel-to-ontario-airport-after-all/ |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=Daily Bulletin |language=en-US}}</ref> As of 2022, the SBCTA has plans to build the tunnel system using "another company more familiar with the state's bureaucracy to do the Environmental Impact Report".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-29 |title=San Bernardino County moving ahead with tunnel project, with or without Elon Musk technology |url=https://abc7.com/rancho-cucamonga-metrolink-station-ontario-tunnel-project-airport-elon-musk/12080190/ |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=ABC7 Los Angeles |language=en}}</ref>
==== Fort Lauderdale, Florida ==== In July 2021, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, accepted a proposal from the Boring Company for a tunnel between downtown and the beach, to be dubbed the "Las Olas Loop".<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=McFarland |first=Matt |date=July 7, 2021 |title=Fort Lauderdale accepts proposal for Elon Musk's Tesla beach tunnel |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/07/tech/musk-boring-fort-lauderdale/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709054452/https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/07/tech/musk-boring-fort-lauderdale/index.html |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |access-date=2021-07-09 |website=CNN}}</ref> In August 2021, the city was beginning final negotiations with TBC,<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |date=2021-08-31 |title=Elon Musk's Boring Co. Nears Deal to Build Tunnel in Florida |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-31/elon-musk-s-boring-co-nears-deal-to-build-tunnel-in-florida |access-date=2021-11-01 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}</ref> and Mayor Dean Trantalis estimated the total cost of the {{Convert|5|mi|km|abbr=out|adj=on}} round-trip tunnel would be between $90 and $100 million, including stations.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-23 |title=Fort Lauderdale's Mayor On The Tesla Tunnel That Could Be Coming To The City |url=https://www.wlrn.org/news/2021-08-23/fort-lauderdales-mayor-on-the-tesla-tunnel-that-could-be-coming-to-the-city |access-date=2021-11-01 |website=WLRN |language=en}}</ref> As of December 2022, the city suspended efforts to continue the project.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last=Portero |first=Ashley |date=November 2, 2023 |title=What happened to the Boring Company tunnels pitched for South Florida? |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2023/11/02/boring-tunnels-south-florida-elon-musk.html |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=South Florida Business Journal}}</ref>
====San Antonio, Texas====
Bexar County selected The Boring Company to build a transit link between downtown San Antonio, Texas and San Antonio International Airport in March 2022, but was then "ghosted" by the company.<ref>{{cite news |author=Biediger |first=Shari |date=January 30, 2025 |title=Elon Musk's Boring Company 'ghosted' San Antonio on transit tunnel plan |url=https://sanantonioreport.org/san-antonio-airport-downtown-tunnel-elon-musk-boring-company/}}</ref>
==== Miami, Florida ==== In February 2021, Miami mayor Francis Suarez revealed that Musk had proposed to dig a two-mile tunnel under the Miami River for $30 million, within a six-month timescale, compared with $1 billion over four years estimated by the local transit authority. Much of the savings would be achieved by simplifying ventilation systems and allowing only electric vehicles.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wile |first1=Rob |last2=Flechas |first2=Joey |date=February 5, 2021 |title=Elon Musk tells Suarez he's interested in a tunnel for electric vehicles under Brickell Ave. Bridge |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article249037895.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211051623/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article249037895.html |archive-date=February 11, 2021 |access-date=February 9, 2021 |work=Miami Herald}}</ref> As of November 2023, the city is waiting for the Miami Dade Transportation Planning Organization to complete an analysis of the project.<ref name=":12" />
==== Cameron County, Texas ==== In August 2021, a preliminary concept discussion was held with officials of Cameron County on the potential construction of a tunnel from South Padre Island to Boca Chica Beach in South Texas. If built, the tunnel would be required to pass beneath the Brownsville Ship Channel.<ref name="rgvnes20210822">{{cite news |last=Clark |first=Steve |date=August 22, 2021 |title=SPI-to-Boca Chica tunnel? Musk's Boring Company floats idea |url=https://myrgv.com/local-news/2021/08/22/spi-to-boca-chica-tunnel-musks-boring-company-floats-idea/ |access-date=August 24, 2021 |work=RGV News}}</ref> It would allow SpaceX's facilities at Starbase to remain accessible if Highway 4, its sole access road, was closed.<ref name="Port Isabel-South Padre Press 2021 m048">{{cite web |last=Davila |first=Gaige |date=2021-08-29 |title=Tunnel from Isla Blanca to Boca Chica proposed by Musk-owned company |url=https://www.portisabelsouthpadre.com/2021/08/29/tunnel-from-isla-blanca-to-boca-chica-proposed-by-musk-owned-company/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Port Isabel-South Padre Press}}</ref>
=== Australia ===
==== Blue Mountains ==== In January 2019, Musk responded to a tweet by an Australian member of parliament regarding a tunnel through the Blue Mountains to the west of Sydney, suggesting costs of $750 million for a {{convert|50|km|mi|adj=on|order=flip}} tunnel, plus $50 million per station.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Connellan|first1=Shannon|date=January 18, 2019|title=Elon Musk does the math on another massive tunnel|work=Mashable|url=https://mashable.com/article/elon-musk-tunnel-australia/|url-status=live|access-date=January 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121232814/https://mashable.com/article/elon-musk-tunnel-australia/|archive-date=January 21, 2019|df=mdy-all}}</ref> New South Wales' transportation department found that based on the cost of the Hawthorne tunnel, the estimated cost would be closer to $6 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Weir |first=Ben |author2=O'Sullivan |first2=Matt |date=2019-01-17 |title=Public servants run the numbers over Musk's 'bargain' Blue Mountains tunnel |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/public-servants-run-the-numbers-over-musk-s-bargain-blue-mountains-tunnel-20190117-p50rzp.html |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-01-17 |title=Tunnel experts dismiss Elon Musk's Blue Mountains plan as 'Alice in Wonderland stuff' |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-18/elon-musk-tunnel-idea-killed-off-by-engineers/10722930 |access-date=2023-04-07}}</ref> Work on the tunnel does not appear to have progressed beyond Musk's initial tweet, and is not listed on the company's website.
== Criticism == Civil engineering experts and tunneling industry veterans questioned whether TBC could render tunnels faster and cheaper than competitors. ''Tunnelling Journal''<!--sic! British spelling--> dismissed the company as a "vanity project".<ref name="NBC News 2021 b862">{{cite web | title=Fort Lauderdale officials say Elon Musk's new tunnel to the beach can't come fast enough | website=NBC News | date=2021-06-08 | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/urban-tunnels-musk-s-boring-co-draw-industry-skepticism-n1269677 | access-date=2023-08-07}}</ref> The low capacity of TBC tunnels make them inefficient compared to existing public transit, with only a fraction of the capacity of a conventional rapid-transit subway.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tinoco |first=Matt |date=2017-12-18 |title=5 reasons why experts are so skeptical of Elon Musk's solution for LA traffic |url=https://la.curbed.com/2017/12/18/16748436/elon-musk-tunnels-los-angeles-criticism-explained |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112014335/https://la.curbed.com/2017/12/18/16748436/elon-musk-tunnels-los-angeles-criticism-explained |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |access-date=2021-07-07 |website=Curbed LA |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hawkins |first=Andrew J. |date=2018-01-23 |title=The Boring Company's plan to dig a longer tunnel under Los Angeles is up in the air |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/23/16923220/boring-company-culver-city-council-tunnel-la |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709191417/https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/23/16923220/boring-company-culver-city-council-tunnel-la |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |access-date=2021-07-07 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=2019-05-25 |title=Why Write About Elon Musk? |url=https://humantransit.org/2019/05/why-write-about-elon-musk.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184825/https://humantransit.org/2019/05/why-write-about-elon-musk.html |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |access-date=2021-07-07 |website=Human Transit |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite news |last=Penn |first=Ivan |date=2018-12-19 |title=It's Showtime for Elon Musk's Boring Co., With a Long Way to Go |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/18/business/boring-company-elon-musk-tunnel.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224163647/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/18/business/boring-company-elon-musk-tunnel.html |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |access-date=2021-07-07 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
Musk's planned tunnels were criticized for lacking such safety features as emergency exit corridors, ventilation systems, or fire suppression. In addition, the single lane tunnels left it impossible for vehicles to pass one another in the event of collision, mechanical failure, or other traffic obstruction, and instead would shut down the entire tunnel section.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tunnelling Journal April / May 2021 |url=https://tunnellingjournal.com/archive/tunnelling-journal-april-2021-may-2021/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184340/https://tunnellingjournal.com/archive/tunnelling-journal-april-2021-may-2021/ |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |access-date=2021-07-03 |website=The Tunnelling Journal |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Walker|first=Alissa|date=2020-01-08|title=Stop calling Elon Musk's Boring tunnel public transit|url=https://archive.curbed.com/2020/1/8/21046929/elon-musk-ces-vegas-boring-company|access-date=2021-07-03|website=Curbed|language=en|archive-date=July 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210703165418/https://archive.curbed.com/2020/1/8/21046929/elon-musk-ces-vegas-boring-company|url-status=dead}}</ref>
James Moore, director of transportation engineering at the University of Southern California, said that "there are cheaper ways to provide better transportation for large numbers of people", such as managing traffic with tolls.<ref name=":7" /> Public transit consultant Jarrett Walker called TBC "wildly hyped", and criticized how the company "dazzled city governments and investors with visions of an efficient subway where you never have to get out of your car, [but turned] out to be a paved road tunnel".<ref name=":6" /><ref name="Tangermann 2023 j035">{{cite web | last=Tangermann | first=Victor | title=In Seven Years, Elon Musk's Boring Company Has Only Drilled 2.4 Miles of Tunnel | website=Futurism | date=2023-11-29 | url=https://futurism.com/the-byte/seven-years-elon-musk-boring-company | access-date=2024-03-11}}</ref>
== See also == * Underground construction
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{commonscat|The Boring Company}} * {{official website}} * {{YouTube|id=zIwLWfaAg-8|title=The future we're building – and boring | Elon Musk TED Talks}}. * {{cite AV media | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwX9G38vdCE |title=The Boring Company Information Session |medium=video }} 55 minutes, video of information session on the vision of the Boring Company and the project in Los Angeles, with Q&A. * {{Cite web |last=Tegtmayer |first=Joe |date=February 14, 2024 |title=TBC TBM overview video |url=https://x.com/JoeTegtmeyer/status/1757733901622001871?s=20}}
{{Elon Musk}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boring Company, The}} Category:The Boring Company Category:Elon Musk Category:2016 establishments in California<!-- initally; later moved to Texas, before ~2021 --> Category:American companies established in 2016 Category:Construction and civil engineering companies established in the 21st century Category:Construction equipment manufacturers of the United States Category:Corporate spin-offs Category:Hyperloop Category:Manufacturing companies established in 2016 Category:Privately held companies based in Texas Category:SpaceX Category:Subterranean excavating equipment companies Category:Underground construction companies Category:Bastrop County, Texas