In brief: Several Missouri groups have teamed up to form the Missouri Hyperloop Coalition, with the sole focus of exploring the possibility of a new Hyperloop route that could benefit 5 million people. They are seeking $1 million to fund a study.
Less than a month after Hyperloop One announced the ten viable routes for its transportation system, several groups have come together to form a new partnership focused on exploring the possibility of building a Hyperloop route linking Kansas City, Columbia, and St. Louis.
The collaboration, officially called the Missouri Hyperloop Coalition, brings together the Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT), the St. Louis Regional Chamber, the KC Tech Council, the University of Missouri System, and the Missouri Innovation Center in Columbia. The coalition believes a Missouri Hyperloop route would benefit over 5 million residents, enabling them to reach a number of universities, businesses, and research hubs in less than 25 minutes.
The state of Missouri proposed the route to Hyperloop One two years ago, but to truly prove the route’s potential success, the coalition is currently trying to secure between $1 – 1.5 million to fund a proper study.
Missouri isn’t the only state that wants to introduce a new route. Shortly after Hyperloop One announced the aforementioned route winners, the company and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) revealed a new partnership to study the possibilities and benefits of a route joining Cheyenne to Pueblo.
This story was originally published on Futurism.com.
