Aerial observer Joe Tegtmeyer has captured fresh footage of a new Boring Company tunnel taking shape on the east side of Giga Texas — and it's aimed squarely at the Colorado River. The project is tied directly to the joint SpaceX-Tesla Advanced Technology Chip Fabrication Facility next door, and construction is moving fast. Here's what we know so far.
What exactly is being built here?
The Boring Company is constructing a tunnel that will run under the Colorado River, starting from a launch pit on the east side of Giga Texas. The project is formally named the "Tesla Colorado River Tunnel" or "Colorado River Connector Tunnel," with TBC Project Development listed as the applicant. Once complete, it will operate as a single-lane, bi-directional tunnel — meaning traffic moves in both directions within one bore, rather than requiring separate tubes for each direction.
Why is this tunnel being built, and who does it serve?
The tunnel is positioned specifically to serve the Advanced Technology Chip Fabrication Facility (ATCF), a joint SpaceX and Tesla R&D campus located just northeast of Giga Texas. According to background reporting, SpaceX is targeting its first test chip out of the ATCF in May or June 2027. A dedicated underground connection would give the facility reliable, weather-independent access across the river — critical for a high-security chip fab that presumably moves sensitive materials and personnel regularly.
How far along is construction right now?
As of early November 2026, crews are deep into launch pit preparation. Active work includes installing forms, rebar, and a thrust ring support frame — the concrete collar that absorbs the forces when a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) pushes off to begin boring. Fresh tunnel liner segments have also been delivered to the site, which typically signals the boring phase is weeks, not months, away. The Boring Company's Prufrock TBM is expected to be used for this project, with related equipment and liner segments confirmed on-site by late October 2026.
What TBM will be used, and why does that matter?
The Prufrock machine is The Boring Company's most advanced tunneling platform, designed to dramatically cut the time it takes to set up and begin boring compared to conventional TBMs. If Prufrock performs as intended here, the actual river crossing could happen relatively quickly once the machine launches. That said, The Boring Company has not published a confirmed construction timetable or budget for this project, so specific completion dates remain unconfirmed.
How long will the tunnel be?
The current regulatory application does not specify a confirmed length. Earlier conceptual discussions referenced a figure of approximately two miles, but that number has not been formally confirmed in the latest filing. The Colorado River crossing itself is relatively narrow at this location, so the tunnel's total length will depend largely on how far the bore extends on each bank to connect the surface portals to their respective facilities.
Is this connected to the existing Giga Texas tunnel network?
Not directly, based on available information. The existing Boring Company infrastructure at Giga Texas serves internal factory logistics. This new tunnel is a separate project with a distinct purpose — connecting the ATCF across the river — and has its own regulatory filing under TBC Project Development. Whether the two systems will eventually be linked is not addressed in current public documents.
The launch pit work visible in Tegtmeyer's footage suggests boring could begin within weeks. With the ATCF targeting its first test chip in mid-2027, there's a clear deadline driving the pace — and the site activity reflects it.
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Sources & reporting notes
The links below identify the material source records used for this report.
- @JoeTegtmeyer on X (2026-11-11T16:44:25.000Z) — Direct source
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