Columbia, MO
Stop on the proposed 17,000-mile maglev network. Next stop: Independence, MO (112.1 mi).
About Columbia
Columbia is a city in Boone County, Missouri, United States, and its county seat. It was founded in 1821 and had a population of 126,254 as recorded in the 2020 United States census, making it the fourth-most-populous city in Missouri. Columbia is a Midwestern college town, home to the University of Missouri, a major research institution also known as MU or Mizzou.
Source: Wikipedia summary (full article). Population and facts as published there.
Cost breakdown (proposal-scale estimates — see math)
| Item | Basis | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal construction | Mid-size terminal (parametric range $1-2B) | $1.5B |
| Land acquisition | Regional factor 1× on $200M base | $200M |
| Track: Columbia → Independence | 112.1 mi × $500M/mi | $56.05B |
| Annual operations (share) | Staffing, power, maintenance | $30M/yr |
| Stop total (excl. annual ops) | $57.75B |
Best terminal location (proposed)
The downtown district around the historic Wabash Station. Columbia's Wabash Station already serves as the city's bus hub beside the MKT Trail, with downtown's college-town core steps away. The University of Missouri's 30,000+ students plus the healthcare corridor create a deep ridership pool in a city built around the campus.
Before / after
Aerial mock-up (illustrative, not an engineering rendering). Left: the proposed site today. Right: with the maglev terminal.
- Jefferson City, MO - the state capital, on the Missouri River crossing
- Boonville, MO - Cooper County river city on the corridor
- Sedalia, MO - Pettis County city on the US-50 corridor