Nashville, Tennessee – The Boring Company (TBC), founded by Elon Musk, has officially announced its intent to construct the "Music City Loop," an underground high-speed transit system designed to connect downtown Nashville and the Music City Convention Center to Nashville International Airport (BNA). This transformative private transportation project is slated to be entirely privately funded, incurring "zero cost to taxpayers," as highlighted by Governor Bill Lee and The Boring Company. The initial 10-mile phase aims to reduce travel time between these key locations to approximately eight minutes.
The project signals a significant step in addressing Nashville's growing traffic congestion, with construction anticipated to commence in Fall 2025 and initial segments expected to be operational as early as Q4 2026. The Music City Loop will utilize underground tunnels beneath state-owned roadways, intended to remove thousands of vehicles from surface roads daily, ease traffic, and reduce emissions through its all-electric, zero-emissions vehicle system.
The Boring Company cited Nashville's rapid growth, strong economic potential, and openness to innovative infrastructure as key factors in its selection for the project. The company points to the success of its operational Vegas Loop in Las Vegas, which has already transported over 3 million passengers. As stated by The Boring Company on social media, "> Las Vegas Loop has already moved more than 3M passengers, and growing. Next stop, Nashville!" This system has also achieved a high safety rating from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the TSA.
The initiative has garnered broad support from various public officials and industry leaders, including the Tennessee Department of Transportation, Governor Bill Lee, the Metro Nashville Airport Authority, the Music City Convention Center, and the Nashville Chamber of Commerce. U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also expressed support, commending the public-private partnership model. However, Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell was not present at the announcement and has expressed "operational questions" regarding the project's potential impacts on Metro and Nashvillians.
While the Music City Loop is presented as a solution for rapid transit, it will operate as a private system. Only Teslas will be permitted within the tunnels, and it will not be open for general public driving. Details regarding the cost of using the service for passengers have not yet been released. The project's proponents emphasize its potential to create numerous job opportunities for residents across Middle Tennessee and extend the lifespan of existing roadways.