Since history on Florida has been recorded has there been the massive obstacle of being unable to penetrate the deep earth due to rising underground water levels. With the sun shining year round, Floridians don’t mind missing out on a basement. Though this underground water issue has been meddling Floridians for ages many residents don’t bat an eye, but not Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.
The Mayor reached out to Elon Musk on Twitter in a tweet replying to The Boring Company CEO’s tweet that was shedding light on the importance of battery cell production, which Musk uses for his electric vehicles and other projects. Mayor Suarez couldn’t make his agreeability with Musk anymore clear for he kindly proposed that Musk should make a visit to Miami’s City Hall to discuss Miami’s future in transportation and technology.
Miami Mayor Suarez’s first online interaction with Elon Musk
In the last decade Miami has increased in population by 19.7% (World Population Review 2021). Immigration to Miami has tremendously slowed down in recent years and the reason behind the massive increase in population is due to consistent resident birth rates and extensive high-rise construction throughout the last two decades in the inner city regions like Downtown Miami and Brickell. Miami-Dade County and Broward County mothers have birthed roughly 50,000 children combined every year since 1991(FL Health Charts 2019), creating an immense rise in adult residents entering the workforce and owning vehicles in the 2010s and for decades to come.
Miami-Dade, Broward County live births from 1991 to 2010
Elon Musk is not one to hold back on his twitter activity and replied to Miami’s Mayor Francis Suarez that same day. The Boring Company CEO got right to the point and mentioned the environment-harming results that come from vehicles sitting in traffic for extended durations, a situation that Boring Company tunnels under Miami can take care of. This short exchange online has led to other South Florida officials getting in contact with Musk and his Boring Company executives to discuss the idea of underground tunnels to relieve the abysmal traffic imbibing South Florida. Broward County Vice Mayor Michael Udine and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis have been the latest South Florida officials to communicate with Musk and his company about the underground travel capabilities and possibilities of South Florida.
The initial idea floating around is that a first step in the right direction would be a 3-mile tunnel in South Florida from Davie Boulevard, roughly near Seminole Hard Rock Casino, to Northeast 13th ST, which is roughly between Miami Int. Airport and Biscayne Boulevard.
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis spoke up on the topic saying, “Our roads are clogged with cars, people are frustrated so it’s about time to rethink how we get from point A to point B.”
This is a common thought amongst Miamians for its pretty often to hear traffic complaints from anyone who’s reached a destination after being in the midst of Miami traffic. For Miamians, the one tweet by Miami Mayor Francis Suarez could’ve started an evolution in Miami transportation that could deplete millions of headaches and save lives.
Elon Musk’s Twitter reply to Miami Mayor Francis Suarez
Though with many South Florida leaders getting together and communicating with Musk and his Boring Company, these plans floating around are not concrete. If these initial plans do take hold and start becoming a reality, the question rises if all of this is practical and viable.
Professor Dean Whitman is the Associate Chair of the Earth & Environment department at FIU and possesses an expertise in Hydro-geophysics and Geologic & Environmental Hazards.
“Yes it is possible,” he said referring to the Elon Musk traffic tunnels in Miami.
The project will be technically challenging, Professor Whitman believes it will be extremely expensive and perhaps there are better uses for the money.
“Yes, there are technologies to do this (halt rising water) but it adds to the expense,” he said. “The rock is very porous...and the tunnels will have to be grouted as they’re being built.”
There are also new technologies to help, Professor Whitman brought to light the modern tech where refrigerant pipes are used to freeze the groundwater during construction.
“After completion...extensive drainage and pumping systems must be maintained to remove water in the tunnels from seepage, along with maintained storm doors to prevent flooding,” he said.
Many, similar to FIU Geology Professor Dean Whitman believe that plenty of underground tunnels have emerged successfully around the globe, but tunnels may not seem like the correct answer for Miami’s traffic problems.
Officials from Elon Musk’s Boring Company are reportedly planning a trip to Miami in the near future to examine the Miami rock and foundation, but things are a long way off from getting the ball rolling.
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