Boring Test Tunnel

The Boring Test Tunnel is a test tunnel in Hawthorne, California, United States that was completed by The Boring Company in late 2018. The single-bore tunnel was constructed during 2017‒2018 using a 4.2-metre (14 ft) diameter tunnel boring machine, giving a finished 3.8-metre (12 ft) internal diameter.

Boring test tunnel
Overview
Other name(s)Hawthorne test tunnel
LocationHawthorne, California
Coordinates
RouteWest 120th Street
StartSpaceX car park
No. of stations3
Operation
Work begunDecember 17, 2016
OpensDecember 18, 2018 (2018-12-18)
OperatorThe Boring Company
CharacterLimited Access
Technical
Length1.83 km
(1.14 mi; 6,000 ft)[1]
No. of lanes1
Operating speed205 km/h (127 mph)[2]
Width3.8 metres (12.5 ft)

Route
Boring Test Tunnel
km
West 120th Street
2.6
Hawthorne Boulevard
Permitted extension (not built)
4012 West 120th Street
12003 Prairie Avenue
/ Exit
1.8
Prairie Avenue
Interstate 105
1.5
3834 West 119th Place
Spur/Test elevator
/ Garage
Hawthorne Municipal Airport
1.0
Dominguez Channel
SpaceX factory
0.2
Crenshaw Boulevard
0.0
 SpaceX entrance shaft
Dominguez Channel

Most of the route runs outside and set back from the perimeter of Hawthorne Municipal Airport, with a very short section under the corner of the airport fence, without going under the runway.[3]

The tunnel starts between the Dominguez Channel storm drain and Crenshaw Boulevard at an entrance pit constructed on car park land owned by SpaceX. A short straight section heading northwards is followed by a 530-foot-radius (161.5 m) curve westwards under West 120th Street, then a long straight tunnel, a slight curve and a final short straight to the Exit Shaft. The midpoint of the tunnel is planned to connect with a very short northwards spur to a small car parking system-style car elevator leading up inside a residential garage behind a house at 3834 West 119th Place.[4]

Timeline

On December 17, 2016, Elon Musk stated that he was frustrated with traffic jams, and would start building a tunnel.[5] By April 2017, The Boring Company had obtained a second-hand tunnel boring machine, transported the machine to Hawthorne, and had it repainted in Boring Company colours.[6]

On January 31, 2018, the Boring Company acquired the land around a family house at 3834 West 119th Place for $500,000.[7] On May 9, 2018, the Boring Company acquired land on the corner of West 120th and Prairie Avenue for $2 million, purchasing the corner plots 309 and 308 at 12007 Prairie Avenue[8] and Plots 304‒307 behind.[9]

On October 5, 2018, the Hawthorne City Council granted an easement for up to 2,600 metres (8,600 ft) of tunnel, in exchange for a structural encroachment fee of $2.5 million. Permission for the first 210 metres (700 ft) of tunnel under SpaceX's own land had been obtained earlier.[10]

On October 17, 2018, in preparation for opening "The Brick Store", the company applied for permission to paint the building at 12003 Prairie Avenue in The Boring Company black-and-white corporate colours.[11]

An opening ceremony for the test tunnel was originally scheduled for December 10, 2018,[12] then moved to December 18, 2018.[13]

Operation

During the launch day on December 18, 2018, cars operated using guided busway-style side-facing guide wheels. This fleet of Tesla Model X vehicles travelled at up to 65 kilometres per hour (40 mph).[14]

References
  1. Lopatto, Elizabeth (December 19, 2018). "I took a ride through Elon Musk's new tunnel in California". Retrieved December 19, 2018. top speed is 40 miles per hour … 1.14 mile tunnel … one-mile test tunnel … year and a half to complete, … about $10 million, not counting research and development
  2. Hawkins, Andrew (May 24, 2019). "Elon Musk's Boring Company staged a race between a Tesla in a tunnel and one on the road". Retrieved June 15, 2019. the Tesla in the tunnel hit a maximum speed of 127 mph
  3. Shadbehr, Arnold; Miyahira, Russ (August 22, 2017). Agenda Item No. 6 (Report). Agenda Bill. City of Hawthorne City Council. p. 42. strip of land 15 feet (4.6 m) wide … beginning of a non-tangent curve concave south westerly and having a radius of 530.00 feet (161.5 m) … 13.56 feet (4 m) southerly of the 120th Street centerline … thence tangent to said curve … parallel with and distant southerly a distance of 7,721.21 feet (2,350 m) to a point of terminus
  4. Shadbehr, Arnold; James, Brian; Planning & Community Development (September 11, 2018). Agenda Item No. 9 (Planning report) (Report). Agenda Bill. City of Hawthorne City Council.
  5. Musk, Elon [@elonmusk] (December 17, 2016). "Traffic is driving me nuts. Am going to build a tunnel boring machine and just start digging..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. Muoio, Danielle (April 27, 2017). "We just got our first glimpse of Elon Musk's new tunnel company". Business News.
  7. Parcel detail: 4048-011-032. Assessor Portal (Report). Los Angeles County. January 31, 2018. 3834 W 119TH PL Hawthorne CA 90250-3226 … TR=2603 E 60 FT EX OF ST of Lot 822 … Doc # 0104467 … DTT Sale Price: $485,004
  8. Parcel detail: 4046-008-027. Assessor Portal (Report). Los Angeles County. May 9, 2018. 12007 Prairie Ave, Hawthorne CA 90250-3107 … Corner Lot: Yes … *TR=Second add to Hawthorne*(ex of st) Lot 308 and (ex of sts) Lot 309 … Doc # 0456481 … DTT Sale Price: $1,995,019
  9. Parcel detail: 4046-008-028. Assessor Portal (Report). Los Angeles County. May 9, 2018. 4012 W 120th St, Hawthorne CA 90250-3107 … Corner Lot: No … M B 9-160 ex of st Lots 304 Thru 307 … Doc # 0456481 … DTT Sale Price: $1,995,019
  10. Huber, Norbert (October 5, 2017). Minutes of a Special Meeting of the City Council (PDF) (Report). City of Hawthorne.
  11. James, Brian; Palmer, Christopher (October 17, 2018). Administrative Color Approval – The Brick Store (staff report) (Report). Hawthorne Planning Commission. Project Location: 12003 Prairie Avenue (APN # 4046-008-027) … Project Applicant: The Boring Company
  12. Brackett, Ed (October 22, 2018). "Rapid-transit test tunnel under LA will open to the public on December 10, Elon Musk says". CNBC.
  13. The Boring Company [@boringcompany] (December 6, 2018). "Tunnel opening now set for . Need another few days to finish the snail habitat. More details soon!" (Tweet). Retrieved December 13, 2018 – via Twitter.
  14. Lopatto, Elizabeth (December 19, 2018). "I took a ride through Elon Musk's new tunnel in California". The Verge. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
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