By Naveen Athrappully
Contributing Writer
Tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Boring Co. has entered into an agreement with the state of Tennessee to develop its Loop underground transportation system that would connect Downtown Nashville to the Nashville International Airport, the company said in a Monday statement.
Loop is an “all-electric, zero-emissions, high-speed” underground public transportation system that uses Tesla electric vehicles to transport people from one location to another, according to the company.
Unlike a subway system, in which a train stops at every station before a passenger reaches their destination, people who use Loop for travel are taken directly to their destination in Tesla EVs without any intermediate stops. Vehicles in the Loop can travel at up to 150 mph, far higher than the 65 mph in conventional subway cars.
In its July 28 statement, The Boring Co. said the agreement with Tennessee kicks off a public process to evaluate potential routes for the transit system and finalize plans for the initial 10-mile phase of the project. The tunnels will be constructed below state-owned roadways.
Dubbed the “Music City Loop,” traveling between downtown and the Convention Center to the Nashville International Airport is expected to take roughly eight minutes in the transit system. Currently, travel to the airport from downtown can take around 11-15 minutes by car, depending on traffic and routes, based on data from Google Maps.
Transit via public transport can take around 51 minutes.
Once the necessary approvals are received, construction will kick off immediately, according to the statement. Construction is expected to begin in the fall, with the first segment of the Music City Loop scheduled to be operational as soon as the spring of 2026.
The transit system is being built at “zero cost to taxpayers,” according to a Monday statement from Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s office.
“By leveraging the innovation of private sector companies like The Boring Co., we’re exploring possibilities we couldn’t achieve on our own as a state,” Lee said.
“This partnership represents the kind of forward-thinking, fiscally responsible approach that will define the future of transportation in Tennessee.”
While the plan was broadly applauded on social media for its zero cost to taxpayers, some users expressed concern about the tunnel exclusively serving Tesla vehicles.
In a Tuesday video shared on X by media outlet The Tennessee Holler, Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones, a Democrat representing District 52, was seen being prevented from attending an event announcing the Nashville Loop.
“I’m not a Jones fan, but this is insane that @GovBillLee would turnover drilling rights and cede usage control to an oligarch, while simultaneously blocking access to the reps of those living above the proposed tunnel,” Eric Welch, an army vet from the state, according to his X bio, said on X.
State Rep. Gloria Johnson, a Democrat representing District 90, criticized the governor in a Tuesday X post and called the Loop “an inefficient waste when what is needed is something more like a light rail system that benefits Tennesseans.”
“With 24 million folks coming in the airport a year, about one-third will use Tesla Tunnels that only benefit tourists. This will prevent growth in public transportation desperately needed for Nashville and surrounding counties because the revenue will be eaten up by Tesla tunnels,” she added.
Underground Transportation
According to the Monday statement from The Boring Co., the Music City Loop will remove thousands of vehicles from roadways and state highways per day, easing congestion on roads. As a result, there will be less wear and tear on roads, bringing down maintenance costs.
Once completed, the Music City Loop is expected to be capable of transporting thousands of people per hour, the statement said. After the initial route, the transit system can be expanded to include more than 40 stations, it added.
The transit system will be constructed using “American-made tunneling equipment” built and operated by the company, which also designs and manufactures the tech in America, thereby supporting job creation in the country, the statement said.
As for safety, the Music City Loop will “meet or exceed the stringent National Fire Protection Association (NFPA-130) fire and life standard,” according to the statement.
The Boring Co. already runs an underground transportation system in Las Vegas, called the Vegas Loop, which has been operational since 2021.
According to the company, the Vegas Loop has already transported more than 3 million people through eight stations. Some of the tunnels have been completed, while others are still under construction. When it becomes fully operational, the Vegas Loop is expected to serve up to 90,000 passengers every hour.
The Vegas Loop recently earned a 99.51% score in the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS/TSA) BASE assessment for safety and security, the company said in its Monday statement.
This is the “highest score awarded for any transportation system, achieving a Gold Standard Award for excellence,” it said.
In a Saturday X post, the company said the Vegas Loop was evaluated across 17 categories before being granted the Gold Standard Award.
The Loop project is being implemented in other nations as well. In February, Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority signed an initial agreement with The Boring Co. to build the 10.6-mile Dubai Loop.
The Dubai Loop, which is set to cover highly congested areas, is expected to initially carry more than 20,000 passengers per hour and later expand to more than 100,000 per hour.
