A revolution in transportation is transforming how we view the very concept of community. Hyperloop technology, electric and autonomous vehicles powered by energy from the wind and sun, and advanced, zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells are redefining how we move people, goods and ideas.
Throughout 2018, Black & Veatch has been part of a coalition working to evaluate the feasibility of Virgin Hyperloop One’s proposed route from Kansas City to St. Louis. At VERGE 18, a leading sustainability focused event, Black & Veatch Chairman and CEO Steve Edwards spoke about the first step in bringing airplane-speed ground transport to the region.
“The feasibility study demonstrates the real case to build the I-70 corridor hyperloop from Kansas City to Columbia to St Louis,” Edwards told a crowd of high-tech executives in Oakland. “The project reduces the travel time from Kansas City to St. Louis by three hours, but the real benefit of the technology is bringing communities across Missouri together, shortening the length of time for transit, improving the safety of road travel and generating time savings superior to other modes of transportation that are available. We’re excited that the study provides that step forward to move the project to fruition and following steps.”
“As a company with strong ties to both cities, the savings for the people of Missouri, and the commerce in the state of Missouri and the surrounding region indicate that there are tremendous benefits to the entire region and the surrounding states from the hyperloop project.”
“We’ve tested the economic assumptions, we’ve been through the engineering of the systems for hyperloop and we believe it’s technologically feasible and economically feasible as a result of our study.”
“Black & Veatch’s participation in the I-70 hyperloop project is driven by our belief that we see opportunity everywhere around us. At first glance, the Virgin Hyperloop One project seemed like a departure from the traditional power, water and communications infrastructure projects that serve as the core of our business. But the more we dug into the hyperloop technology, the more we realized that the experience we’ve gained building the nation’s largest high speed EV charging networks, wireless communications networks and high voltage transmission projects, we are a perfect fit to bring this technology from the white board to reality.”
“Much like we’ve done in our other businesses, we can -- and need -- to innovate, not invent. This project is a great example of solid engineering meeting up with Hyperloop’s innovative vision to change how we move from where we are to where we want to be.”
“With more than a century of experience in the design and construction of large-scale, complex infrastructure projects, we think the this project is a difference maker. What was once the edge moves to the center of it all. And it’s just a start.”
