Could Northeast Ohio be one of the first regions to get a "Hyperloop"? Experts appear closer to answering that question.
The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency on Tuesday awarded a contract to Transportation Economics & Management Systems, Inc. for a study of the feasibility of the proposed Great Lakes Hyperloop, a high-tech, high-speed passenger and freight transport route that would link Cleveland and Chicago. The contract will use $550,029 from taxpayers, but matches private funds from Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Inc.
“We are incredibly excited to begin this journey,” NOACA Executive Director Grace Gallucci said in a statement. “Hyperloop has the potential to transform our region. This study will tell us if this new form of transportation is right for us – and how ultra-high-speed transport might ignite our economy.”
TEMS, based out of Frederick, Maryland, is described as "a leader in operations planning, economic analysis, infrastructure management, systems development, and high speed ground transport." The study will begin next month, with scheduled completion set for 2019.
