Hyperloop technology that would move passengers from Cleveland to Chicago in less than 30 minutes has moved one step closer to a reality.
Last week, $5 million in funding was approved for the Great Lakes Hyperloop as part of a bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. The funding will go toward creating safety and environmental standards, along with establishing regulatory framework for the technology.
The bill now heads to the U.S. Senate before it reaches the president's desk.
Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT), a Culver City, Calif.-based startup, is developing the technology, which aims to shuttle people from Cleveland to Chicago in just 28 minutes. Passengers sit in pressurized capsules, which float on a frictionless magnetic cushion within tubes. HTT says the capsules are powered by a linear induction motor, electromagnetic propulsion, and embedded rechargeable batteries. The end result is a silent, emission-free ride that sends passengers between the two cities at more than 700 MPH.
HTT is working with the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) on the hyperloop system.
"This shows that Congress recognizes the role that hyperloop will play in the nation’s future transportation system," NOACA Executive Director Grace Gallucci said in a statement. "These funds will help NOACA and its partners make high-speed transportation between regions a transformative reality, starting with Cleveland to Chicago.”
HTT, the NOACA, the Illinois Department of Transportation and other organizations agreed last year to begin work on a feasibility study that would explore the potential for hyperloop technology in the region. That study is expected to be completed later this year.
While the initial funding for a Cleveland-to-Chicago hyperloop is an important first step for the innovative technology, the new transportation system remains far from a slam dunk. There are plenty of challenges ahead, including land acquisition, regulations and construction hurdles. Joe Schwieterman, a transportation expert at DePaul University, told the Tribune last year that the hype and publicity of the hyperloop "seems out of proportion to its feasibility."
HTT isn't the only company working to bring hyperloop technology to life. Hyperloop One has a similar plan for a hyperloop that would connect Chicago, Columbus and Pittsburgh. It aims to get riders from Chicago to Columbus in less than 30 minutes, and from Columbus to Pittsburgh in 20 minutes.
