A hyperloop route may zip between Kansas City and St. Louis
The earliest hyperloop routes might not be limited to wealthy tech havens like California or the UAE. Missouri officials and Hyperloop One are seriously exploring the possibility of a hyperloop route that would run between Kansas City and St. Louis. In theory, the pod-based system would shuttle you between the cities in under half an hour, instead of the nearly 4 hours it takes by car — you could commute from one end of the state to the other for work.
There still needs to be a feasibility study that will cost about $1.5 million (thankfully, paid from private funds) before there’s any construction. As far as hyperloop routes go, however, this is potentially ideal. Hyperloop One’s Dan Katz observes that it would be an “incredibly straight” route, which is rather important for pods that can hit speeds of up to 760MPH.
This isn’t the only other proposal in the middle of the US. Colorado is also considering possible links between Colorado Springs, Denver and (in Wyoming) Cheyenne. However, it may be indicative of what you can expect if and when hyperloop technology takes off. You might not see routes everywhere you’d like to go, but it could streamline travel in areas where cars take too long and aircraft are impractical.
(62)
