Elon Musk’s Boring Company to build Tesla tunnels under Nashville
Nashville, TN – Elon Musk’s The Boring Company (TBC) has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Tennessee Governor Bill Lee to construct a 10-mile underground “loop” system beneath Nashville. This ambitious project aims to connect the city’s vibrant downtown and convention center with the Nashville International Airport, promising a new era of urban mobility.
The “Music City Loop” project is set to be a privately funded endeavor, with The Boring Company and its undisclosed private partners bearing the financial responsibility. This approach ensures that the project will not burden local taxpayers, a significant advantage highlighted by the Governor’s office. Following this announcement, TBC and local authorities will embark on a comprehensive public evaluation process to determine optimal routes, engage community stakeholders, and finalize plans for the initial phase.
While construction commencement hinges on regulatory approvals, the Governor’s office anticipates that the first segment of the loop could become operational as early as Fall 2026. If successful, Nashville would join Las Vegas as the second city to host a fully operational Boring Company tunnel system. The Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) Loop, TBC’s inaugural urban transit system, has already provided over 3 million rides in its Tesla vehicles, demonstrating the concept’s viability as a rapid people-mover.
The Boring Company, founded by Elon Musk in early 2017 after his public frustrations with traffic, has seen its vision evolve significantly. Initial ambitious proposals included a three-dimensional underground network featuring vehicle elevators and a high-speed hyperloop connecting major cities like New York to Washington, D.C. However, these grander plans faced considerable setbacks, with TBC abandoning projects in Los Angeles and Chicago due to local pushback and effectively discontinuing engagement with numerous other cities across the country.
The hyperloop concept, born from Musk’s discontent with California’s high-speed rail, was also eventually shelved. Furthermore, despite Musk’s fervent promotion of autonomous vehicles, the Teslas operating within the Las Vegas tunnels are currently driven by human operators. In its current form, The Boring Company’s offering more closely resembles an efficient, underground people-mover, which, while less revolutionary than initial claims, offers distinct advantages like reduced surface disruption during construction compared to traditional monorails or light rail systems.
Governor Lee’s office lauded The Boring Company’s safety record in Las Vegas, citing a 99.57% safety and security rating from the Department of Homeland Security and Transportation Security Administration. However, the announcement does not delve into the construction-related challenges and safety concerns that have been reported concerning TBC’s operations. Reports from various outlets, including Fortune, have highlighted serious concerns raised by former employees and safety managers regarding the rapid pace of work, which allegedly led to injuries and OSHA citations. One employee reportedly stated, “I refuse to be the first fatality in this company’s history. No tunnel is worth a single person’s life,” underscoring the intense operational pressures.
As Nashville moves forward with this transformative infrastructure project, it represents a significant step in urban transportation, blending private innovation with public need. The success of the Music City Loop will undoubtedly be a closely watched case study for future underground transit solutions globally.
