Eminent Domain Concerns Raised Over Missouri's Hyperloop Plans

Critics are pointing to a discrepancy between the plan and the reality in terms of how much private property must be acquired through eminent domain to make the state of Missouri's Hyperloop dreams come true.

1 minute read

April 18, 2019, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Hyperloop One

Kevin Krejci / Flickr

"As much as 35 percent of the proposed route for Missouri’s ultra-fast Kansas City to St. Louis Hyperloop would require land acquisition through the government’s power of eminent domain, far more than boosters of the $10-billion venture have claimed," reports Edward McKinley

"The full feasibility report, completed last fall by the Kansas City-based firm Black & Veatch, is at odds with statements by supporters of the project, including Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, who said last month that among the project’s selling points was that it could use 'a vast majority' of state-owned right-of-way along I-70," according to McKinley.

Eminent domain isn't popular in the state of Missouri. "On Tuesday, the House tentatively approved legislation blocking the use of eminent domain for the Grain Belt Express, a transmission line that would carry wind-generated electricity east across eight Missouri counties," according to McKinley.

Wednesday, April 17, 2019 in The Kansas City Star

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

45 minutes ago - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

1 hour ago - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

2 hours ago - Los Angeles Public Press