The Boring Company, owned by Elon Musk, is in Miami to look at several sites, including the Brickell Avenue bridge.
Mayor Francis Suarez wants to see if a tunnel could replace the bridge to help traffic. The Boring Company says the job could be done at a fraction of the cost.
Representatives will go to Fort Lauderdale where they will look into a possible three-mile tunnel for a train which would go under the downtown area and the New River, to allow for more commuter service without disrupting traffic.
Musk, suggested that underground tunnels could alleviate Miami's traffic and environmental impacts from cars, and Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava invited him to discuss his ideas even though Miami is only six feet above sea level.
A project is possible, although it could cost taxpayers billions of dollars. A tunnel the city would involve waterproofing the structure during construction and then maintaining a waterproof seal to avoid leaks while people drive through the tunnel.
Miami is built on a foundation of porous limestone, that makes it more susceptible to flooding, which is part of the reason there aren't basements here. The Port of Miami tunnel cost the county $1 billion over five years of construction, and it only spans 4,200 feet. In Boston, the Big Dig megaproject, cost taxpayers around $24 billion and has been subject to controversy after it began leaking because of shoddy workmanship.
None of Musk's tunnel projects have come to fruition yet, but many of them are in the planning stages, according to the company's website.
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