Elon Musk's tunnel company aims to reduce Dodger Stadium traffic with 'Dugout Loop'

Elon Musk's tunnel construction and infrastructure firm, The Boring Company, in cooperation with the city of Los Angeles, announced Wednesday it would build a privately funded tunnel from a subway station in East Hollywood to Dodger Stadium that would reduce time in traffic from more than an hour in the car to fewer than four minutes by electric vehicle.

The Boring Company is projecting that, when ready, 1,500 fans per game can take the company's underground high-speed vehicles through the tunnel called "The Dugout Loop," instead of sitting in their cars in traffic. That number can eventually rise to 2,800 fans, or 5 percent of Dodger Stadium's capacity.

Games at Dodger Stadium have been legendary for their late-arriving crowds because of traffic jams that prolong rush hour past the first pitch.

"The Dugout Loop will be good for fans and neighbors, providing another fast and affordable way for people to get to home games, while helping to reduce traffic in the neighborhoods surrounding Dodger stadium," said Tucker Kain, the Los Angeles Dodgers' chief financial officer.

The project, whose only investor is The Boring Company, promises to have no above-ground disruption for the estimated 14 months it will take to build the 3.6-mile tunnel. While the cost of building the tunnel will take many years to recoup, sources familiar with the project say The Boring Company projects to be operationally profitable by charging a fee of $1 per person, per trip.

Riders will be able to reserve tickets by phone, in person or through the company's mobile app.

The Boring Company was founded in December 2016 by Tesla founder Musk, inspired by the traffic problems in Los Angeles. While "solving" rush hour was seen as too complex of an issue, The Boring Company chose Dodger Stadium, because the game times and the direction people were going provided a tangible way of being able to solve a traffic problem.

Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti said he's thrilled to be able to have a privately funded project in a city that already has committed to $120 billion worth of work on 28 projects leading up to 2028, when Los Angeles will host the Summer Olympics.

"This not only will solve traffic issues to and from the stadium, but it will give an economic boost to places around Dodger Stadium," Garcetti told ESPN. "People are now going to be in restaurants and bars, because they have more time, instead of just sitting in their cars."

The Dodgers have led Major League Baseball in total attendance since the 2013 season.