Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner has called on city commissioners to explore the possibility of underground transit tunnels as a way to address the city’s worsening traffic congestion. The proposal comes amid growing interest in alternative transportation solutions, particularly after plans to extend the downtown Miami Metromover to South Beach were rejected.
In a memo, Meiner emphasized that the initiative is not focused on a specific project but is intended to spark a broader conversation about engineering feasibility, environmental considerations, funding sources, and how such tunnels could connect with existing transit infrastructure. Miami Beach faces several unique challenges, including low elevation near sea level, porous limestone bedrock, and frequent flooding, Axios reports.
The concept of tunnels is not entirely new for the city. In 2022, Meiner suggested contacting Elon Musk’s The Boring Company to explore potential projects, referencing the company’s work on the Las Vegas Loop. At that time, the city approved a resolution to study tunneling options further, though it remains unclear whether any formal discussions with the company actually occurred.
The Boring Company has previously expressed interest in projects in South Florida. In 2021 and 2022, the firm submitted proposals for Tesla-powered tunnels in Fort Lauderdale and North Miami Beach. While the Fort Lauderdale project was eventually halted, the North Miami Beach proposal reportedly remained under consideration into 2023. Additionally, Musk met with Miami Mayor Francis Suarez in 2021 to discuss tunnel systems, though no significant progress has been reported since.
Over the years, The Boring Company has gained experience in consumer-oriented tunnel projects, notably through the Las Vegas Convention Center and Vegas Loop systems, which utilize Tesla vehicles. Expansion of the Vegas Loop is ongoing, with efforts underway to enable the Teslas in the tunnels to operate using Unsupervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology.