Nashville’s Metro Council has officially gone on record against The Boring Company’s Music City Loop project, voting 20-15 to oppose the underground tunnel plan. Two council members abstained. Still, the resolution is largely symbolic. The state of Tennessee has already approved the project, and construction will move forward regardless of how the council voted.
The Music City Loop is designed to shuttle passengers from downtown Nashville to Nashville International Airport in Tesla vehicles traveling through an underground tunnel. The project is fully funded and built by The Boring Company, Elon Musk’s infrastructure venture, and received the green light from Gov. Bill Lee to dig beneath state roads.
Opposition on the council centered on a few key concerns. Councilmember Delishia Porterfield warned that a potential oversight commission tied to the project could end up costing Nashville taxpayers millions of dollars. Councilmember Sandra Sepulveda went further, raising questions about The Boring Company’s track record on worker safety and environmental responsibility.
“The state of Tennessee does not care,” Sepulveda said. “With a company that has the history of not protecting workers, we are opening the doors to that type of history.”
Not everyone on the council shared those concerns. Councilmember Olivia Hill said she recently visited the construction site and came away satisfied with the safety conditions. She also pushed back on the idea that opposition to the tunnel was rooted in legitimate policy concerns.
“I wish this wasn’t a political thing, because when we talked about tunnels for a subway, everyone was okay with that,” Hill said.
Despite the council’s formal opposition, the Music City Loop project remains on track. State approval supersedes the council’s resolution, and The Boring Company is expected to continue construction as planned.