Hyperloop One Missouri Route Would Reduce 3.5 Hour Trip To 28 Minutes

Virgin Hyperloop One has revealed that a feasibility study on a hyperloop route spanning from Kansas City to St Louis has produced favorable results. The examination was performed by Black & Veatch, which created an independent report analyzing a possible future route next to the I-70 highway through Missouri.

When analyzing the feasibility of installing a Hyperloop One route spanning from Kansas City, Columbia, and St. Louis, Black & Veatch found that it is both possible and beneficial for the region. Among the benefits is a reduction in the amount of time it takes to travel between these cities, as well as a decrease in accidents on the I-70.

Those two benefits alone could save around $500 million combined. When using a car, it takes a traveler about 3.5 hours to drive from Kansas City to St. Louis, but the Missouri Hyperloop could do it in under 30 minutes. It would cost less to operate the hyperloop between these three destinations versus the cost of driving, too, offering users another benefit.

As well, the independent report found that Virgin Hyperloop One's linear infrastructure's cost would clock in at about 40-percent lower than high-speed rail projects. Despite the lower cost, the hyperloop system would offer much faster speeds at up to three times the rate of high-speed rail alternatives.

Additional studies are underway in Colorado and Ohio, the latter of which includes the first US Environmental Impact Studies concerning a system like this.

SOURCE: Virgin Hyperloop One