The Austin suburb of Kyle and billionaire Elon Musk's The Boring Company have begun discussions on a proposed pedestrian tunnel, per Austin ABC affiliate KVUE.
Citing an article in the Austin Business Journal, KVUE reported that the underpass would cater to "slow and fast moving" forms of multimodal transportation.
According to the station, should Kyle City Council approve an agreement with The Boring Company, construction would commence on the tunnel that would link the Plum Creek subdivision to the Kyle Crossing mixed-use development.
According to Austin NBC affiliate KXAN, Kyle City Manager Scott Sellers explained the specifics of the project at an April 5 city council meeting.
“This tunnel starts at Marketplace [Avenue] and [FM] 1626 where the new development is going in, and then will cross underneath the railroad tracks to the cul-de-sac at Cromwell [Drive],” Sellers said, KXAN reported. “It will be lit throughout, striped, paved.”
The underpass would reportedly measure 12 feet in diameter and about 900 linear feet.
KVUE reported that the underpass seeks to boost foot and bicycle traffic and is part of a large regional effort to make park spaces, office and retail more accessible.
Kyle Mayor Travis Mitchell acknowledged the project faces many "hurdles," but The Boring Company spearheaded talks after Musk's relocation to the area from California.
"It seems like it's going to be quite economical and it's going to achieve a real piece of connectivity for the city of Kyle," Mitchell said, per KVUE.
KVUE reported that Kyle successfully secured an estimated $3 million in private developer funding for the project.
According to the station, Pflugerville – which is 48 miles north of Kyle – is home to The Boring Company's corporate headquarters.
Musk, whose net worth is nearly $265 billion, moved Tesla to Austin in late 2021.