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For the Boring company to really get going and work like Elon Musk is dreaming about, I think the laws for mineral rights (underground property rights) will hav

For the Boring company to really get going and work like Elon Musk is dreaming about, I think the laws for mineral rights (underground property rights) will have to be modified in the US. Sort of like how the ownership of airspace was modified when airplanes became a big thing. Imagine every airline negotiating with all of the property owners they flew over for a coast-to-coast flight. Air travel would just have not developed in the US. Maybe below ground property rights should not be quite as absolute and people would have to allow tunneling below a depth where disturbance to the near surface is far below the background. They could receive some kind of predetermined fee and/or rent. I hope America is still flexible to implement such a legal change.

jccooper 9y ago
Even within the current framework, it shouldn't be hard to acquire an underground easement, by market or eminent domain. Shouldn't be very expensive, either. A deep underground tunnel means basically no diminution of property values. Subway and water tunnel projects tend to pay very small token amounts (a few hundred dollars) for similar underground takings. Not quite as streamlined as a "free groundspace" regime, but not a big obstacle.