A high-speed hyperloop transportation system that aims to move passengers between Chicago, Columbus and Pittsburgh would create $300 billion in economic benefits for the region, according to a new feasibility study.
The project, spearheaded by the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission and Virgin Hyperloop One, was first announced in 2017. Dubbed Midwest Connect, the project aims to build a hyperloop transportation system to transport people from Chicago to Columbus in less than 45 minutes and Columbus to Pittsburgh in under 30 minutes---at an average speed of 500 miles per hour.
The study, conducted by third party AECOM, found that the Midwest Connect project is technically and commercially feasible. The study examined factors such as route alignments, costs, engineering complexity, public right of ways, environmental constraints and ridership volumes.
“We have continued to advance the work along this corridor ever since winning the Virgin Hyperloop One Global Challenge in 2017 and conducting this feasibility study was one of our first, major action steps. The main takeaway is that hyperloop technology is, indeed, feasible along this route,” Thea Ewing, transportation and infrastructure development director at MORPC, said in a statement.
A hyperloop system would not only be a time savings, but would also cost less than a one-way flight. A ticket from Chicago to Columbus on the Midwest Connect would cost $60, while a hyperloop trip from Columbus to Pittsburgh would run $33.
The study also found that the Midwest Hyperloop would reduce CO2 emission by 4 million tons, in part by taking 1.9 billion automobiles off the road and shifting those passengers to the hyperloop.
Next, the MORPC plans to create a travel and economic demand advisory panel to "improve and further refine the high-level analyses developed."
“Hyperloop is fundamentally about more than just getting from A to B quickly,” Jay Walder, CEO of Virgin Hyperloop One, said in a statement. “It’s about the enormous benefits – the economic uplift, the job creation, the emission reductions, and the opportunity to fundamentally change the way people live and work. We’re proud to be working with MORPC to continue advancing a hyperloop route in the Midwest.”
