A project to build a pedestrian tunnel in downtown Denver was not selected as the winning entry in a competition run by Texas-based The Boring Co., a transportation infrastructure company founded by Elon Musk.
The project, submitted by Denver-based Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, was one of 16 finalists chosen from 487 submissions in the company’s Tunnel Vision Challenge, aimed at revolutionizing transportation.
In January, the company announced on X, formerly Twitter, that it would build a tunnel, up to one mile long and 12 feet in diameter, at no cost for the selected winning entry.
Denver’s proposal called for a 330-foot pedestrian tunnel connecting Ball Arena to the Regional Transportation District light rail station and Elitch Gardens, currently accessed via a pedestrian bridge over the train tracks.
Eric Lutzens, The Denver Post
Fans arrive and wait for the doors to open prior to the Avalanche watch party outside Ball Arena before Game 6 of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Finals on Sunday, June 26, 2022. The Colorado Avalanche are looking to clinch the Stanley Cup with a win on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
On Monday, The Boring Co. announced that three winners were in New Orleans (NOLA Loop), Baltimore (Ravens Loop) and Dallas (University Hills Loop). Those projects will move forward into a due diligence phase that includes meetings with elected officials and community leaders, site evaluations and engineering analysis.
If any of the projects prove feasible, the company will then fund and build them.
The company also said it identified additional proposals it considers compelling and plans to continue working with their entrants, including the Hendersonville Utility Tunnel in Hendersonville, Tenn., and Morgan’s Wonderland Tunnel in San Antonio.
A spokesperson for KSE told The Post in an email that both a pedestrian bridge and a pedestrian tunnel remain under consideration for that specific site between Ball Arena and Elitch Gardens.
KSE owns Elitch Gardens and Ball Arena, which is home to the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets and Colorado Mammoth. The company is also redeveloping more than 50 acres around Ball Arena.
Projects were judged on how much they could solve a real problem, the level of support and enthusiasm from relevant stakeholders, and whether they were feasible to build. Feasibility included being physically possible, staying within The Boring Co.’s typical tunneling costs, and being able to secure necessary permits in a reasonable timeframe.
The Boring Co. creates utility and freight tunnels, intending to alleviate traffic problems.
The company has multiple projects across the U.S. and abroad, including the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop, the Music City Loop in Nashville and the Cybertunnel at the Tesla Gigafactory in Austin.
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