Listen: Behind the scenes interview with Hyperloop One exec on Missouri plan
February 1, 2018 | Bobby Burch
By now you’ve likely seen that Missouri is a top five favorite to land a Virgin Hyperloop One route.
If built in Missouri, the tubular transportation system would move people from Kansas City to St. Louis in 30 minutes, creating a mega-region that combines the state’s biggest cities, said Dan Katz, director of global public policy for Virgin Hyperloop One. Overland Park-based Black & Veatch is now leading a team to study the feasibility of the route along I-70 over the next seven to nine months.

MoDOT’s proposed Hyperloop route
It’s an exciting prospect not only for the economic impact but also the technological achievement it’d represent. Not only could Hyperloop One move people and freight at unprecedented speeds, but it would create a distinct logistical advantage for a region that already benefits from a centralized location.
Startland News sat down with Katz to talk with the Hyperloop One executive about the plan in Missouri, its advantages and disadvantages and the technology behind it. Joining Katz are Michael DeMers, the director of Innovative Partnerships and Alternative Funding, and Dave Leligdon, Black & Veatch’s vice president of major projects.
Listen to the audio story below to learn more about Hyperloop One’s plans.
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