(The Center Square) – An underground tunnel connecting downtown Nashville to the airport moved forward Wednesday with a right-of-way approval for Tennessee-owned property.
The Music City Loop will reduce travel time from downtown to the Nashville Metropolitan Airport to eight minutes.
Gov. Bill Lee said Wednesday that the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration approved a lease that gives the Boring Company a permit to use state-owned property.
The Boring Company, founded by Elon Musk, is funding the entire project.
“The Music City Loop shows what’s possible when we leverage private-sector innovation and American ingenuity to solve transportation challenges,” said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in a release from the governor’s office. “TDOT’s lease approval will help advance this ambitious project as we work to reduce congestion and make travel more seamless for the American people.”
The project announced in July 2025 has drawn opposition from state and local leaders. Nashville City Councilwoman Delishia Porterfield said at a meeting of the Nashville Metropolitan City Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that she has asked the Boring Company for answers.
“There was no response to this body until I filed legislation opposing this project,” Porterfield said at Thursday’s meeting where Boring Company officials spoke. “And to me that is completely disrespectful. That shows that there is no spirit of of transparency from this company.”
State Sen. Charlane Oliver, D-Nashville, raised concerns at the BNA Airport Authority’s February meeting.
“The Music City Loop does not address daily congestion challenges or function as broad, equitable mass transit,” Oliver said. “Instead, it prioritizes a limited corridor tied to airport access.”
Lee’s administration has touted the project as the “safest, most efficient travel system in America. The Boring Company’s Las Vegas Loop has a 99.57% safety rating from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration, according to a release from the governor’s office.
“Tennessee continues to lead the nation in finding innovative solutions to accommodate growth, and in partnership with The Boring Company, we are exploring possibilities we couldn’t achieve on our own,” Lee said. “I’m grateful for TDOT’s commitment to a forward-thinking, fiscally responsible approach to infrastructure modernization that will define the future of transportation in our state and beyond.”
When the project was announced, state officials said it could be completed as soon as fall 2026.
