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    Columbus Hyperloop Proposal Named One of 10 Finalists in Global Challenge

    A proposal to link Chicago, Columbus and Pittsburgh by hyperloop — a futuristic technology that involves pods traveling at up to 600 miles per hour through a pneumatic tube — has been selected as one of 10 routes worldwide that will now “move forward in the process.”

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    That process is being led by Hyperloop One, a Los Angeles-based company that is researching the technology and that solicited route proposals last year as part of what it called “the Global Challenge.” The Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) has taken the lead on the Chicago-Columbus-Pittsburgh proposal, which was selected in January as one of 35 semifinalists, from a reported pool of 2,600 applicants.

    “We are excited to work closely with Hyperloop One to explore this project’s development and impact on Central Ohio and the Midwest,” said William Murdock, MORPC Executive Director, in a press release. “Our Midwest Connect proposal fulfills a need for faster surface transportation options in the Midwest and strengthens connections and economic opportunities between the growing, tech-savvy regions of Columbus and Pittsburgh with the global power of Chicago.”

    The Midwest Connect proposal estimates that people and goods could travel via hyperloop between Columbus and Chicago in just under a half an hour, and between Columbus and Pittsburgh in 18 minutes. Transportation experts have raised a number of red flags about the idea, though, and it remains an unproven technology.

    The winning teams will meet with Hyperloop One later this year “to discuss next steps and project implementation,” according to the press release.

    Here are the other winning routes announced today:

    • US Dallas-Laredo-Houston (Texas)
    • US Cheyenne-Denver-Pueblo (Colorado)
    • US Miami-Orlando (Florida)
    • India Bengaluru-Chennai
    • India Mumbai-Chennai
    • UK Edinburgh-London
    • UK Glasgow-Liverpool
    • Mexico Mexico City-Guadalajara
    • Canada Toronto-Montreal

    For more information, visit www.morpc.org/midwestconnect or www.hyperloop-one.com.

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    Brent Warren
    Brent Warrenhttps://columbusunderground.com/author/brent-warren
    Brent Warren is a staff reporter for Columbus Underground covering urban development, transportation, city planning, neighborhoods, and other related topics. He grew up in Grandview Heights, lives in the University District and studied City and Regional Planning at OSU.
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