TAMPA, Fla. - More traffic changes could be coming to Tampa Bay depending on the results of a new transportation study commissioned by the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority or TBARTA.
- TBARTA to study Hyperloop among other transit solutions
- Hyperloop proposed by Space-X and Tesla's Elon Musk
- Feasibility study to look at Hyperloop connections in Florida
TBARTA is using part of a $1 million appropriation from the Florida Legislature to study and develop "innovative transit opportunities."
The board approved a feasibility study to examine Hyperloop, aerial gondolas and air taxis - to see if they would work here in the Bay area.
It's estimated the study will take about a year and it's expected to cost around $220,000.
What exactly is Hyperloop?
It was first proposed (at minute 43 of this link) by Space-X's Elon Musk in 2012.
The Hyperloop hypothesis says a pod or shuttle could be propelled at speeds of up to 700 miles per hour.
Virgin Hyperloop One is testing it right now.
Billionaire Richard Branson has partnered with the project to bring transportation of the future to now.
Behind the science, the shuttles move this fast inside a tube.
The engineering removes all the air out of the tube creating a vacuum.
The pressure goes down and it eliminates friction.
Under these conditions, magnets propel engines theoretically to travel super-fast.
The proposed TBARTA study "will look at potential connections within the state of Florida."
More than likely that means they'll study how Hyperloop would work going from here to Orlando or Miami.
The technology is years away.
In India it's reportedly going online in 10 years.
Several entities are researching this technology including future generations who’ve proposed solutions to scientifically prove the Hyperloop hypothesis.