SpaceX boss Elon Musk is reportedly considering building a tunnel from the southern tip of South Padre Island to the northern end of Boca Chica Beach , Texas, through his company The Boring Company. The objective would be to no longer impede the movement of premises, while facilitating that of SpaceX employees.
The region surrounding Starbase, SpaceX's new space base, is home to few inhabitants. These premises are still subject to regular traffic restrictions, with SpaceX frequently blocking the highway when shipping rocket parts. The road is also completely closed for launches. And inevitably, it is binding, especially since the activities of Starbase should continue to intensify over the next few years.
To try to stem the problem, Elon Musk would consider relying on one of his companies:The Boring Company.
The Boring Company does indeed offer fast, low-cost haulage tunnels. The company's mission is to decongest traffic and allow rapid transport from one point to another.
According to the Brownsville Herald, a few days ago, company officials met with officials from Cameron County, Texas to propose construction of a new tunnel connecting the southern tip of South Padre Island to the northern end of Boca Chica Beach .
If it sees the light of day, this project could then allow locals to bypass the regularly blocked highway. In particular, it would also allow the public to access the beach at all times, except during launch attempts and high-pressure tests. In addition, it could also significantly shorten commute times for SpaceX employees. Most are established on South Padre Island or Port Isabel and take more than an hour each morning to reach the company's facilities in Boca Chica.
On paper, the idea seems very good, as it is likely to suit all parties. However, such a project could be more difficult than you think. As Eric Berger points out on Ars Technica, the distance between South Padre Island and the northern tip of Boca Chica Beach may be less than 800 meters, but a navigation channel stands right in the middle . Also, if a tunnel were to actually emerge, it would have to be dug very deep . Also, according to the Brownsville Herald, county officials would not be willing to pay for such a project. Also, SpaceX should finance it alone.
For now, this is just an idea on paper. According to Cameron County Administrator Pete Sepulveda Jr, the next step would be to sit down with representatives from The Boring Co. for more specific discussions, noting that the county was also exploring the possibility of a Ferry Boat service. between the island and Boca Chica beach. Building a new road to Boca Chica would be another potential solution.
