June 14 (UPI) — Elon Musk’s construction company has been awarded a contract to build high-speed train service from downtown Chicago to O’Hare International Airport.
The Boring Co. outbid engineering firm Mott MacDonald, which developed a terminal at London’s Heathrow airport, and an infrastructure fund backed by former basketball star Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
A tweet by The Boring Co. Thursday announced the deal.
“We’re really excited to work with the Mayor and the City to bring this new high-speed public transportation system to Chicago!”
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel called for proposals last year for the system through a public-private agreement with the city.
Musk said autonomous vehicles in the high-speed “loop” will carry up to 16 passengers and luggage at speeds over 100 mph, and depart every 30 seconds.
Final routes and details are subject to negotiations but the proposal said it will take about 12 minutes to make the 15-mile trip and cost between $20 and $25 per ride, which is less than a taxi or ride-sharing service.
The Boring Co. estimated the project will cost less than $1 billion.
Last month, Musk gave the first glimpse of his underground Los Angeles tunnel, and said free rides there will start in a few months. Musk, who also heads Tesla and SpaceX, first shared his idea for the hyperloop in 2016 after becoming frustrated with snarled Los Angeles traffic.
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