When it comes to building new infrastructure, the most sustainable path forward might actually be underground. At Northeast Maglev, we’re doing more than just moving people faster—we’re helping protect the environment and preserve communities through one critical design decision: tunneling.
By constructing the majority of the superconducting Maglev (SCMAGLEV) system underground, we’re able to significantly reduce the surface disruption that often comes with large transportation projects like highways or traditional rail lines.
Less Disruption, More Preservation
Traditional infrastructure development often requires clearing land, cutting through neighborhoods, and disrupting ecosystems. Tunneling the majority of the project will change the game.
Building 70% underground means that neighborhoods, parks, schoolyards, and green spaces can stay primary intact. The SCMAGLEV system will run quietly below the surface, reducing the need for demolition or large-scale land acquisition. It’s a solution that allows us to bring modern transportation to the region without sacrificing the character or continuity of the communities above.
Lower Impact on Ecosystems
Running rail systems above ground can fragment habitats and introduce harmful noise and pollution into sensitive ecosystems. Tunneling helps avoid those impacts. The SCMAGLEV route is being planned to bypass or minimize impact on critical environmental areas, helping to protect biodiversity along the Northeast Corridor.
Even more impressively, the system is designed to minimize environmental disturbance even while in use.
Vibration-Free Living
Concerned about noise and vibration from a high-speed train beneath your feet? Don’t be. Measurements from the Chuo Shinkansen Environmental Impact Analysis in Japan, where SCMAGLEV is already deployed, show that vibration levels from a 16-car train traveling at 311 mph are significantly below what humans can perceive—just 46 VdB recorded compared to the 72 VdB threshold for perceptibility.
And those measurements were taken just 32 feet below ground—our planned depth here is typically 150 feet or greater. That means you won’t feel a thing.
Safe Electromagnetic Fields
What about electromagnetic fields (EMFs)? Another common concern—but again, there’s no need to worry. The SCMAGLEV system meets all safety guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization.
To put it in perspective:
- At guideway level, EMF exposure is just 0.19 mT
- Under elevated guideway: 0.02 mT
- Above underground guideway tunnel: 0.00015 mT
That’s well below the recommended maximum of 1.22 mT. In fact, above the underground tunnels, EMF exposure is nearly negligible.
Building the Future Without Breaking the Surface
The bottom line? Tunneling isn’t just an engineering decision—it’s an environmental one. It allows us to bring transformative transportation technology to the region while preserving the places we call home.
The SCMAGLEV is more than a faster train. It’s a smarter, quieter, more considerate way to travel—designed to meet the needs of today without compromising the integrity of tomorrow.
Because sometimes, the most meaningful progress happens underground.