PA: Is the Proposed Hyperloop Taking the Focus Away from Advancing Feasible Transit Solutions in Pittsburgh?

Headlines in the Rust Belt region for the hyperloop, a proposed high-speed pod that promises to shuttle passengers at speeds up to 700 mph, would have readers believe that the futuristic project is already in the works. 

A Feb. 22 article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was titled “Proposed hyperloop to Chicago could be in line for federal infrastructure funds.” A Feb. 27 article in the Cleveland Plain-Dealer reads, “Great Lakes Hyperloop consortium sees Cleveland-Chicago link possible in 3 to 5 years.” 

The proposed technology would thrust a light-weight pod through a vacuum-sealed tube at near-super-sonic speeds, either above or below ground. The tech company Hyperloop One has said a trip from Pittsburgh to Chicago could take about 30 to 40 minutes. Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto added his own comments on Twitter, speculating just how awesome hyperloop would be for Pittsburgh travelers. “That could mean lunch breaks in Chicago,” he wrote in September 2017.  

Read the full article at https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/is-the-proposed-hyperloop-taking-the-focus-advancing-feasible-transit-solutions-in-pittsburgh/Content?oid=7281728