Hyperloop One Announces Its Finalists for Rapid Transit System
Date Posted: September 19, 2017
Posted In: Projects,
From The Kansas City Star: Hyperloop One, which had claimed it could build a futuristic mode of travel to zoom people from Kansas City to St. Louis in about 20 minutes, announced four U.S. routes among the top finalists Thursday.
The cross-state route in Missouri, which might have included a stop in Columbia, is not among the winners of the Hyperloop One “Global Challenge.” The challenge entreated proposals from individuals, governments, universities and companies from around the world.
The Missouri route did advance to the finalist round that included 20 other regional routes.
Of the 10 winning routes, four are in the U.S., two in India, two in the U.K., one in Mexico and one in Canada. The routes selected will now work closely with Hyperloop One to potentially bring the technology to their regions.
Tom Blair, an engineer with the Missouri Department of Transportation, had expressed hope this spring that Hyperloop One — which aims to hone electric propulsion technology to blast people at rapid speeds along a tubular track — would develop in Missouri. Blair called the prospect a potential game-changer for the state’s economy.
MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna expressed hope Thursday for the possibility of future discussions with the Hyperloop One team.
“MoDOT was told the Hyperloop One Global Challenge judges and engineers were impressed by the quality of the KC-St. Louis proposal and feel an opportunity exists for collaboration to further develop the potential of the corridor,” McKenna said by email. “We are excited about … how this innovative technology could benefit the citizens and economy of Missouri in the future.”