CHICAGO
LOOP

The Tunnel Vision Challenge is The Boring Company's open call for communities to propose tunnel projects that would benefit their region. Proposals are evaluated on two criteria: being 'truly useful' (demonstrating clear transit, freight, or utility value) and being 'Boring-ready' (showing community support through letters of endorsement from political, regulatory, community, and business leaders).

The CTA Red Line Extension is a traditional heavy rail project focused solely on extending one transit line southward. Chicago LOOP is a multi-modal underground network using Boring Company's Prufrock tunneling technology, integrating passenger transit, freight movement, AND utility conduits in a single infrastructure investment. It serves five corridors simultaneously and includes freight and utility capacity that the Red Line Extension does not.

The initial proposal calls for a public-private partnership model. The $362M total investment would be funded through a combination of federal infrastructure grants, state capital program funds, city TIF district contributions, private freight operator revenue commitments, utility co-location fees, and Boring Company's own infrastructure investment. The project's multiple revenue streams — passenger fares, freight fees, and utility leases — make it financially self-sustaining.

Chicago LOOP is designed to complement, not replace, existing CTA service. The tunnel network would feed riders into existing L stations and bus routes, increasing overall system ridership. For the South Side corridor specifically, it would provide express service that doesn't compete with local CTA routes but rather connects riders to them faster.

The project would save an estimated 62,400 tons of CO2 annually by removing 4,800 daily truck trips from city streets. Underground construction minimizes surface disruption. The utility conduit enables renewable energy distribution and broadband access for underserved communities. A full Environmental Impact Assessment would be conducted during the formal approval process.

Each corridor was scored on a composite 10-point scale across five weighted criteria: Political Feasibility (20%), Community Support (25%), Technical Readiness (20%), Economic Impact (20%), and Equity Score (15%). The South Side Express ranked highest at 9.2/10 due to its exceptional equity impact and strong community support base.

If selected by The Boring Company and approved by city authorities, tunnel boring could begin as early as 2028. Boring Company's Prufrock machine can tunnel at speeds significantly faster than traditional TBMs. The first passenger corridor (South Side Express) could be operational within 2-3 years of construction start, with the full five-corridor network built out over 5-7 years.

Sign a letter of support, attend a community town hall, or contact your alderperson to express support for the Chicago LOOP proposal. Follow us on social media and share the campaign with your network. Every voice matters — The Boring Company evaluates proposals partly on the breadth and depth of community support.