Hyperloop begins construction process on passenger transport system
The on-site preparation includes a geotechnical investigation to determine the placement of pylons which support the tube. Soil samples will be taken by boring into the earth.
JumpStartFund's Hyperloop Transportation Technologies Inc. (HTT) announced the filing of construction permits with Calif.’s Kings County to kick off construction activities in Quay Valley. On site preparation activities will commence in the coming weeks with principle construction beginning by the end of second quarter 2016.
HTT is in the selection process after an overwhelming response to a Request For Interest (RFI) sent to more than eighty companies for the first full-scale passenger-ready Hyperloop installation.
"After over two and a half years of research and development our team has reached another important milestone. This will be the world's first passenger-ready Hyperloop system," said HTT CEO Dirk Ahlborn. "Everyone traveling on California's I-5 in 2016 will be able to see our activities from the freeway."
Proposed system map
The on-site preparation includes a geotechnical investigation to determine the placement of pylons which support the tube. Soil samples will be taken by boring into the earth.
Once the ground survey is complete, Hyperloop will immediately perform mapping procedures with drone technology to mark the corridor, pylon positions and station location. The mapping is needed to calculate both the horizontal and vertical alignments required as part of the building permit.
Leading up to the groundbreaking in the second quarter of 2016, HTT will be interviewing contractors to construct the pylons, tubes, capsules and stations for the Quay Valley Track. First optimizations of the completed Hyperloop system are expected by 2017 with a full opening to the public by 2018.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.
