ORLANDO, Fla. – Rumors of a high-tech “Loop” transit system in Orlando’s International Drive Resort Area are picking up speed, sparked by buzz around a possible partnership between Universal and Elon Musk’s The Boring Company
Mac Evans lives about 30 minutes away from his job at a local resort, but since he takes International Drive to get there, he has to leave much earlier.
“I usually plan about an hour to be on the road from leaving home to getting there to clock in,” Evans said.
He’s not alone.
“I live close to the Clermont area, so it takes me about 45 minutes on a good day to get to work,” Jason, another commuter, added.
Could creating this underground transportation tunnel make it easier to get around I-Drive? Several companies are in talks to make that happen.
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“It would be a great thing for investment—a great thing for getting around. Just from Universal to Epic—it would be game-changing,” Jason said,
The project, also called the Loop, is similar to the tunnel system in Las Vegas.
Reports say it could link Epic Universe, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, the convention center, and possibly even the airport.
“Theoretically, it could,” Evans shared. “I know the company that’s trying to put this forward has a habit of making a lot of promises and not necessarily following through. In theory, it does sound like a good idea. I would love for the traffic situation to be alleviated—for people who rely on these places for income, and for people who come from all over the world to experience the parks.”
Critics of the idea are concerned about digging into Florida soil and how storms could impact the tunnel.
“The possibility for flooding is always there. The only concern I would have is hurricane season, but I don’t think that’s an eliminating factor,” Jason said.
Maria Triscari from the I-Drive Chamber of Commerce said they’ve heard early-stage conversations. She went on to say, “At this point, nothing has been confirmed, but it’s exciting to see concepts emerging that reflect a broader vision for advanced and sustainable transportation.”