The Boring Company has inked an agreement with Dubai Roads and Transport Authority to collaborate on a mega-project within the city emirate called the Dubai Loop, as per an announcement on Tuesday.
The Dubai loop project is a proposed set of tunnels running under the city—with a focus on areas in Downtown Dubai—which residents can use to drive to their preferred destinations.
The Roads and Transport Authority was created in 2005 by the Dubai. It oversees all aspects of residential commute and travel, including public infrastructure, roads, and traffic-related matters.
“The project will deploy advanced technologies designed to transform Dubai’s mobility ecosystem, while enhancing transport efficiency and ensuring smoother traffic movement in high-density urban areas,” read the official announcement.
The deal was inked by RTA’s executive board chairman, His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, and The Boring Company’s Business Development head, Mr James Fitzgerald.
The Boring Company is one of the multiple companies owned and managed by Elon Musk. It was initially created as a subsidiary of SpaceX and later managed as an independent company. Similar to most of Elon’s companies, it is a private entity
The Dubai Loop is projected to be completed in 3 years with a total estimated cost of $545 million.
“The project represents a qualitative addition to Dubai’s transport ecosystem, as it enhances integration between different mobility modes and provides flexible and efficient first- and last-mile solutions,” said his excellency Mattar Al Tayer in the announcement.
“Studies have demonstrated the project’s efficiency in terms of capacity and operating costs, with the pilot route expected to serve around 13,000 passengers per day, while the full route is projected to have a total capacity of approximately 30,000 passengers per day.” he also said
The official statement says the project is to be completed in two phases: an initial route that joins Dubai’s main financial district, DIFC, and Dubai Mall, and a final route with more
connectivity with proximity to a huge chunk of Dubai’s red metro line.
The initial route will span 6.4 km, while the final route will run up to 22.5 km. To make the infrastructure feasible, the tunnels constructed as part of the Dubai Loop will have a diameter of 3.6 metres for vehicles.
The initiative stands as a welcome project as traffic continues to ramp up in Dubai, especially from Sharjah to the city during the morning hours of commute.
While the proposed infrastructure is more focused on downtown, it is expected to ease the major congestion that occurs for car owners during peak hours of traffic in the respective areas.
“We are proud to partner with the Roads and Transport Authority, one of the world’s leading entities in adopting innovative solutions in the transport sector. Through this partnership, we look forward to delivering advanced, safe, and highly efficient tunnelling solutions that support Dubai’s vision for sustainable and future mobility,” said The Boring Company’s president Steve Davis.