Boring test tunnel

The R&D Tunnel, also called the Hawthorne test tunnel or Boring test tunnel, is a 1.14 mile tunnel in Hawthorne, California, for testing hyperloop and "loop-based transportation". It was completed by The Boring Company in late 2018. The single-bore tunnel was constructed during 2017 and 2018 using a 4.2 m diameter tunnel boring machine, giving a finished 3.8 m internal diameter.

Route
Most of the route runs outside and set back from the perimeter of Hawthorne Municipal Airport, with a very short section under the corner of the airport fence, without going under the runway.

The tunnel starts between the Dominguez Channel storm drain and Crenshaw Boulevard at an entrance pit constructed on parking lot land owned by SpaceX. A short straight section heading northwards is followed by a 530 ft curve westwards under West 120th Street, then a long straight tunnel, a slight curve and a final short straight to the Exit Shaft. The midpoint of the tunnel is planned to connect with a very short northwards spur to a small car parking system-style car elevator leading up inside a residential garage behind a house at 3834 West 119th Place.

Timeline
On December 17, 2016, Elon Musk, the founder of the Boring Company, stated that he was frustrated with traffic jams, and would start building a tunnel. By April 2017, The Boring Company had obtained a second-hand tunnel boring machine, transported the machine to Hawthorne, and had it repainted in Boring Company colors.

On January 31, 2018, The Boring Company acquired the land around a family house at 3834 West 119th Place for $500,000. On May 9, 2018, The Boring Company acquired land on the corner of West 120th and Prairie Avenue for $2 million, purchasing the corner plots 309 and 308 at 12007 Prairie Avenue And Plots 304‒307 behind.

On October 5, 2018, the Hawthorne City Council granted an easement for up to 8600 ft of tunnel, in exchange for a structural encroachment fee of $2.5 million. Permission for the first 700 ft of tunnel under SpaceX's own land had been obtained earlier.

On October 17, 2018, in preparation for opening "The Brick Store", the company applied for permission to paint the building at 12003 Prairie Avenue in The Boring Company black-and-white corporate colors.

An opening ceremony for the test tunnel was originally scheduled for December 10, 2018, then moved to December 18, 2018.

Operation
During the launch day on December 18, 2018, cars operated using guided busway-style side-facing guide wheels. This fleet of Tesla Model X vehicles traveled at up to 40 mph.