---
title: "Elon Musk Just Met With a California Mayor to Discuss Building Underground Tunnels"
description: "The mayor of Hawthorne is happy his city is home to SpaceX and The Boring Company."
date: "2017-07-24"
modified: "2017-07-24"
authors:
  - name: "Chelsea Gohd"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/chelseagohd"
url: "https://futurism.com/elon-musk-just-met-with-a-california-mayor-to-discuss-building-underground-tunnels"
categories:
  - "Elon Musk"
  - "Future Society"
  - "The Industrialists"
tags:
  - "elon musk"
  - "hawthorne"
  - "hyperloop"
  - "the boring company"
---

# Elon Musk Just Met With a California Mayor to Discuss Building Underground Tunnels

![boring company elon musk lax tunnel godot](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/C-gxP-NUMAQ0JXv.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: \<a href="https://www.boringcompany.com/media/z5a2rbu8k420c38rs9zoxizhlc6s9k" target="\_blank"\>The Boring Company\</a\>\</em\>*

We now know that Elon Musk's [Boring Company](<https://www.boringcompany.com/>) is not only working on a way to [alleviate traffic for cars](<https://futurism.com/5-elon-musk-has-finally-confirmed-what-the-boring-tunnels-hes-making-are-for>), but also establish a home for the [Hyperloop](<http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20170720/elon-musk-says-he-has-verbal-approval-for-a-northeast-us-hyperloop-transit-system>). The high-speed transit system could navigate a tunnel network created by the company's [tunnel boring machine (TBM)](<https://futurism.com/elon-musks-boring-machine-just-completed-its-first-tunnel-segment>).

But, in order for this machine to successfully complete such a monumental task, the physics of tunnels must, obviously, be well understood. This is why[ Musk recently met ](<http://www.dailybreeze.com/business/20170721/hawthorne-mayor-alex-vargas-hangs-with-elon-musk-to-talk-physics-and-tunnels>)with Hawthorne Mayor Alex Vargas, who has a lengthy background in physics, to discuss the matter.

Discussing physics of tunnels with Mayor Vargas (who has a physics background). Hawthorne support for The Boring Company much appreciated. [https://t.co/UAOCildbnT](<https://t.co/UAOCildbnT>)

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) [July 21, 2017](<https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/888541666122113024>)

Mayor Vargas [told *The Daily Breeze*](<http://www.dailybreeze.com/business/20170721/hawthorne-mayor-alex-vargas-hangs-with-elon-musk-to-talk-physics-and-tunnels>), “It’s an awesome feeling knowing that the future of transportation is being developed here in Hawthorne, in particular this underground tunneling project...Hawthorne is booming because of SpaceX, Tesla, and The Boring Co. \[Musk\] basically reaffirmed his commitment to helping the community.”

Reporter Sandy Mazza of *[The Daily Breeze](<http://www.dailybreeze.com/>)* shared images from the meeting via a tweet.

Hawthorne Mayor Alex Vargas got to meet with [@elonmusk](<https://twitter.com/elonmusk>) and the pics are adorbs [pic.twitter.com/plnIvKNeuo](<https://t.co/plnIvKNeuo>)

— Sandy Mazza (@SandyMazza) [July 21, 2017](<https://twitter.com/SandyMazza/status/888511194553737216>)

These tunnels will be a feat of physics and engineering. Musk has previously suggested that you could potentially "have 30 layers of tunnels." His TBM would act as a sort of "mole," boring through practically anything that would realistically be found in its path, from soft sand to hard rock.

Layers upon layers of tunnels, weighed down by a wide variety of vehicles, will be an ambitious creation, but they could be a game-changer in the future of transportation.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/chelsea_gohd>)