The Boring Company has been awarded a $10 billion contract by the City of Chicago to construct an underground Loop tunnel transit system connecting O’Hare International Airport to the downtown Loop in just 12 minutes โ compared to 45 minutes on the existing Blue Line train. The project will use Boring’s patented electric vehicle sled system, carrying standard Tesla vehicles and dedicated passenger pods at speeds of up to 240 km/h.
The selection of The Boring Company over conventional subway contractors was controversial, with critics questioning the unproven technology and concerns about accountability given Elon Musk’s other business interests. Supporters point to Las Vegas Convention Center Loop โ now carrying over 4 million passengers annually โ as proof of concept.
The Chicago project will include 5 underground stations at O’Hare, River North, Wacker Drive, the Loop, and Soldier Field, and is projected to carry 4,600 passengers per hour in each direction. Construction is expected to take 7 years.
