Elon Musk's The Boring Company announced Monday it will build a free underground Loop tunnel at the University Hills development in Southern Dallas — one of three cities selected in a surprise expansion of the company's Tunnel Vision Challenge that also awarded tunnels to New Orleans and Baltimore.
The University Hills Loop would connect the $1 billion, 280-acre mixed-use development by Dallas-based Hoque Global to the nearby University of North Texas Dallas DART Station, providing a free, electric underground transit link to a part of the city that has historically been overlooked by major investment.
The Boring Company launched the challenge in January, inviting public and private entities to submit proposals for a tunnel up to one mile long and 12 feet in diameter. The company received 487 submissions before narrowing the field to 16 finalists. University Hills was announced as a finalist on March 17. When the company revealed its winners Monday, it stunned applicants and city officials by selecting all three of its finalists instead of the single winner it had originally promised — committing to fund and build all three at its own expense.
All three projects, including Dallas's University Hills Loop, will now enter a fully funded feasibility phase that includes meetings with elected officials, regulators, and community leaders, along with geotechnical surveys and financial analysis. Specific details about the Dallas tunnel's route, timeline, and design are still being finalized.
University Hills is already under development, with infrastructure work underway and homebuilding scheduled to begin in early 2027. The finished community is planned to include 580 homes, more than 1,500 apartments, 1.5 million square feet of commercial space, 50 acres of parks, and a town center. The city of Dallas has committed nearly $35 million in economic incentives to the project.
Tunnel Vision Challenge results!
— The Boring Company (@boringcompany) March 24, 2026
We've been overwhelmed with the amazing submissions…so we are announcing three winners!
The Thrilling Three are:
- NOLA Loop (New Orleans, LA)
- Ravens Loop (Baltimore, MD)
- University Hills Loop (Dallas, TX)
What happens next? TBC and the… https://t.co/cY2ULftfiK
The University Hills Loop would connect the $1 billion, 280-acre mixed-use development
