Musk's Boring Company unveils Music City Loop tunnel project for Nashville
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The Boring Company's underground loop in Las Vegas. Photo: AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
Elon Musk's The Boring Company officially unveiled its plans Monday for the Music City Loop, an underground tunnel connecting downtown Nashville to the city's airport.
Why it matters: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee touted the project as an innovative approach to addressing Nashville's traffic congestion at no cost to taxpayers.
The big picture: The project has an ambitious timeline of completing the 10-mile route in less than two years.
- The tunnel would move vehicles at warp speed as well. A trip from downtown to the airport would be about eight minutes, according to Boring Company CEO Steve Davis.
What he's saying: "The Boring Company is developing the most cutting edge transit systems in the world," Lee said at a press event at the airport Hilton.
- "This is the most dynamic city in the country. People are coming here by the millions, and now with the Music City Loop, the Boring Company is set to transform the airport-to-downtown travel experience."
Zoom in: Davis said the Boring Company looks for places where its tunnel projects can be useful, as well as cities that are welcoming.
- He said Nashville checked both of those boxes. The company plans to start hiring in the coming days, he said.
Yes, but: Although Davis lauded the city for being welcoming, Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell was not in attendance at the press conference. O'Connell told Axios over the weekend he had questions about the project.
- Details such as the costs for construction and operations remain unclear.
- The state Building Commission announced its executive subcommittee will meet on Thursday to approve a lease agreement with the Boring Company for a state-owned lot on Rosa Parks Boulevard. It's unclear what approvals could be required of Metro leaders.
Zoom out: The company has had some success with a smaller tunnel project in Las Vegas. The company touts the Vegas Loop, which opened in 2021 for transporting more 3 million passengers.
- Projects pursued in other places, including Washington D.C., Chicago and Charlotte did not materialize.
Between the lines: Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Stephanie Coleman hailed the Music City Loop as complimenting the Choose How You Move transportation plan, approved by voters last year.
What we're watching: Davis said Nashville presents challenges for its state-of-the-art digging technology due to the city's hard, rocky ground.
What's next: The downtown-to-airport tunnel could just be the beginning.
- Davis said the Boring Company will be soliciting community feedback for the most "useful" places in Nashville where other transportation tunnels could be constructed.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information.