Las Vegas awards The Boring Company first permit for early work on Vegas Loop extension

A new option is coming to get from the Las Vegas Strip to downtown. The city has issued the first permit to The Boring Company to begin early work on a privately funded transportation tunnel that would connect the Vegas Loop from the Las Vegas Convention Center to downtown.

The first Vegas Loop station within the city would be located just north of the STRAT. Previous construction work on the loop has taken place in unincorporated parts of Clark County that did not require the same permitting.

The city says downtown Las Vegas continues to grow as a destination for dining, arts, culture and entertainment. From the 18B Las Vegas Arts District to Symphony Park and the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, the city says improving access between downtown and the Strip drives more visitors to explore what the area has on offer while also reducing traffic on surface streets.

The city specifically outlined what this permit does and does not allow.

This permit:

• Allows planning and construction to begin on the tunnel connection.
• Represents the first stage of a potential downtown connection.

This permit does not:

• Open the system to passengers.
• Approve full construction of the tunnel.
• Allow operations to begin.

Any future construction or passenger service would require additional permits, reviews, inspections and approvals from the city before additional work is carried out.

Safety details from The Boring Company 

Tesla Models S, X, 3 and Y, the vehicles permitted in the tunnels, have achieved the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's top rating of five stars.

The Vegas Loop has no internal touch hazards, such as a 600 volt third rail, enabling safe evacuation in the event of an emergency. This minimizes potential fire sources and reduces any dangerous effects of water intrusion. The tunnel’s redundant, bidirectional ventilation system will remove smoke to allow passengers to evacuate in the event of a fire.

Vegas Loop tunnels are outfitted with emergency exits, fire detection systems, fire suppression systems and a fire-rated first responder emergency communication system. The systems are tested frequently with local police and fire departments.

Vegas Loop vehicles and passengers have direct communications to a 24/7 Operational Control Center via Blue Light Stations, LTE cell service and Wi-Fi.

Vegas Loop tunnels are fully illuminated. Further, The Boring Company notes the project has camera coverage.

Looking ahead

All work associated project work is subject to:

• City oversight and inspections
• Local, state and federal safety standards
• Additional reviews before any future phases move forward

According to The Boring Company, future Vegas Loop trips could connect downtown, the Convention Center, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport in as little as two to eight minutes, with distance-based fares estimated to range from $5 to $12. The existing Las Vegas Convention Center Loop has already transported more than three million passengers, according to The Boring Company.