The Boring Company will dig a 68-mile tunnel network under Las Vegas
Enlarge / A Tesla car drives through a tunnel in the Central Station during a media preview of the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop on April 9, 2021, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Elon Musk's tunneling company has permission to significantly expand its operations under the city of Las Vegas. Last month, the Las Vegas City Council voted unanimously to approve the Boring Company's plan to dig more tunnels under the city, following in the steps of Clark County, which in May gave a similar thumbs-up to the tunneling concern. The company's plan calls for 68 miles of tunnels and 81 stations, served by a fleet of Tesla electric vehicles, each able to carry three passengers at a time.
Despite the unanimous approval, Mayor Carolyn Goldman had a litany of concerns, including safety, low throughput of passengers, and a lack of accessibility. However, she said that "hotels are begging for transportation options."
The Boring Company owes its origin to a traffic jam that ensnared Musk in 2016. Incensed by having to sit behind other drivers, the billionaire decided the solution should be a network of private tunnels under cities, perhaps taking inspiration from Mad Magazine or the Usborne Book of the Future.