Chicago-Cleveland Hyperloop Estimated at $29.8 Billion

A feasibility analysis published today estimates costs and benefits for the still-unproven Hyperloop technology, as envisioned for a route connecting Cleveland and Chicago.

1 minute read

December 16, 2019, 10:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Space X

Olga P Galkina / Shutterstock

Steven Litt reports the details of a feasibility analysis of a Hyperloop connecting Cleveland to Chicago, published today by the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) and the Los Angeles-based Hyperloop Transportation Technologies.

"A high-speed hyperloop line that could zoom passengers through a vacuum tube from Cleveland to Chicago and Pittsburgh could cost from $24.7 billion to $29.8 billion to build, depending on variations in the route and stops along the way," explains Litt of the findings included in the feasibility analysis.

NOACA Executive Director Grace Gallucci is quoted extensively in the article explaining that the impetus for the study and the project is coming from the private sector, which would be expected to pay most of the costs of any project.

"NOACA’s not trying to push this," says Gallucci in the article. "NOACA wants to be part of the innovation and a leader, but that’s very different from pushing it. This is not our agenda."

The article includes details on how the technology is expected to work, along with data on the jobs and economic benefit the project's construction could deliver to the region's along the Cleveland to Chicago route.

Sunday, December 15, 2019 in The Plain Dealer

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

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.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Metrorail train pulling into newly opened subterranean station in Washington, D.C. with crowd on platform taking photos.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”

The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

June 2, 2025 - The Hill

Large crowd on street in San Francisco, California during Oktoberfest festival.

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns

In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

June 2, 2025 - Robbie Silver

Man in teal shirt opening door to white microtransit shuttle with cactus graphics and making inviting gesture toward the camera.

Albuquerque’s Microtransit: A Planner’s Answer to Food Access Gaps

New microtransit vans in Albuquerque aim to close food access gaps by linking low-income areas to grocery stores, cutting travel times by 30 percent and offering planners a scalable model for equity-focused transit.

2 hours ago - U.S. Department Of Transportation

Group of people at table set ouf with picnic food on street during a neighborhood block party.

This City Will Pay You to Meet Your Neighbors

A North Kansas City grant program offers up to $400 for residents to throw neighborhood block parties.

3 hours ago - The Kansas City Star

Crowd gathered with protest signs on April 5, 2025 on steps of Minnesota state capitol protesting Trump cuts to social security and other federal programs.

Commentary: Our Silence Will Not Protect Us

Keeping our heads down and our language inoffensive is not the right response to the times we’re in. Solidarity and courage is.

4 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine