Missouri’s Hyperloop One and the state’s role in the future of U.S. transportation could soon become solidified as feasibility study highlights the commercial viability of Virgin Hyperloop One technology.
Black & Veatch just announced their results of the first-ever feasibility study of a Hyperloop in the United States. The best part? The study happened right here in Missouri. The independent report analyzed a proposed route through the I-70 corridor and, by the pictures provided, puts the Hyperloop One smack-dab in the middle of the east and west bound traffic lanes between Kansas City and St. Louis.
We hope to catch up with Black & Veatch to better understand the impact Virgin’s Hyperloop One could have on the state of Missouri, but we are already thinking about what this could mean for our state. Take, for instance, the 28 minute travel time between Kansas City and St. Louis. This could mean living in St. Louis and working in Kansas City, or vice versa. The opportunity of that alone could see Missouri becoming a leader in attracting top talent by offering a standard commute time between the two cities. That’s very compelling to a family looking to relocate from the coasts, or anywhere else in the country. Wanting to live in a smaller community like Columbia, MO? With a commute time equivalent to car travel between the Brookside neighborhood and the Crossroads neighborhood in Kansas City, living in Columbia and working in St. Louis becomes a real possibility.
Steve Edwards, Chairman and CEO of Black & Veatch had this to say, “We found this project is a case of solid engineering meeting up with Virgin Hyperloop One’s innovative vision to create a network transforming the very concept of community.” That concept of community and the vision of the future is incredibly powerful. It takes an idea, and ultimately reality, like Hyperloop One to connect a multi-city state in a single community.
The brass tacks of the study follow:
- 80% increase in ridership demand from 16,000 to 51,000 riders per round trip
- Savings from less time spent on the road, adding up to $410 million per year
- Reduction in accidents along the I-70, putting up to $91 million per year back in people’s pockets
- Travel time between Kansas City and St. Louis could be as little as 28 minutes, compared to 3 ½
hours today, and travel time for trips from either Kansas City or St. Louis to Columbia could be 15
minutes, compared to nearly 2 hours - The cost to take a hyperloop from St. Louis to Kansas City could be lower than the cost to drive
(based on gas alone), while still cutting down the time by three hours - The study confirms that VHO’s linear infrastructure costs are around 40% lower than those seen
in high-speed rail projects around the world, while the system delivers speeds that are two to
three times faster
The Hyperloop One’s biggest impact though? Construction and development. Even trying to imagine the very real impact Hyperloop One could have on the increase in construction projects hurts our brains. Yes, it’s very much relying on the “if you build it they will come” ethos, but we could see a construction boom the likes of which the state has never seen.The fact is, the number of ways that Virgin’s Hyperloop One transportation system would impact our state and country are nearly uncountable. From lowering the cost of doing business, to the economic impact from development to tourism, and the intangible, yet immensely valuable reclamation of world leadership in progress. And frankly isn’t it about time? Here at Bangert, we think of it as transportation 5.0. From walking/sail/horse, the steam era, automobiles, and the most recent (over 80 years old) air transport. Let’s get on board. Are you ready for Missouri’s Hyperloop One? We are.