Elon Musk’s proposed Tesla tunnel loop met with opposition by Nashville metro council

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Elon Musk’s proposed Tesla tunnel loop under the streets of Nashville was met with opposition Tuesday by the metro council, which passed a resolution to put their concerns about safety, transparency and a lack of local input on the record.

The resolution, with 20 members voting for and 15 against with two abstaining, can’t force one of Musk’s companies to stop, stall or change their plans for the Music City Loop. But Nashville officials want to register their grievances after the politically connected tech billionaire’s company, The Boring Company, teamed up with willing state government partners to bypass local authority.

In July, Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and The Boring Company announced plans for the Music City Loop, featuring an initial 13-mile (21-kilometer) stretch that would include connecting the airport and downtown, which was later expanded to about 25 miles to include a second leg west of downtown. They promised a project that would come at no cost to taxpayers, albeit with free use of some state land near the Capitol. The first section of the tunnel is supposed to be operational by the first quarter of 2027.

The Nashville loop relies on a fleet of dedicated Tesla vehicles driven by trained drivers, with more than 30 stations being designed and the potential for more routes and stations. The company says the cost to ride is expected to be lower than other transportation options. The cars will be human-driven, though the company says it could explore autonomous vehicles in the future.

“Colleagues, public land needs to be for public good and public infrastructure decisions must prioritize the welfare, safety and express needs of Nashville residents,” said Delishia Porterfield, who sponsored the resolution, Tuesday night before the vote.

John Rutherford, a council member who voted against the resolution, asked his colleagues to set aside their political opinions about Musk. He said a vote of opposition would risk closing the door to any dialogue with The Boring Company.

A representative for The Boring Company did not immediately have a comment when reached by the AP.

The Boring Company has another Tesla tunnel in Las Vegas that already provides rides on the electric cars, though the full route isn’t finished. The company lists some research tunnels in use, including one in Texas in which passengers could travel in autonomous electric pods at upwards of 600 mph (965 kph). Plans for tunnels in some other cities have fallen through. Overseas, another Boring Company tunnel is planned for Dubai.

The Nashville project had a bumpy launch during the July announcement at the Nashville International Airport, when Democratic state Rep. Justin Jones, whose Nashville district includes the airport, was blocked from entering the event.

The Boring Company’s CEO Steve Davis said at the project’s announcement that they chose Nashville based on the need to address traffic and the partnership with state officials.

“Nashville has been fantastic. Moved at an incredible speed, so welcoming, so kind, so so friendly,” Davis said.

But Nashville officials, advocates and others seemed mostly blindsided at the announcement, and the council resolution questions why the city wasn’t “meaningfully” consulted about a major change to the transit roadmap in Music City, where transportation projects are still being rolled out after voters approved a transit-funding tax increase in 2024.

The resolution also draws attention to potential geological and environmental concerns, citing its underground porous limestone that creates risks for sinkholes and water movement, in addition to the city’s history of major flooding.

Last month officials from The Boring Company answered questions from the council and heard from residents, who voiced concerns about environmental impacts, safety of the tunnel and whether the company was compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

The Boring Company says it has “a strong track record in safely managing variable ground conditions,” including in Las Vegas. David Buss, the vice president of commercial and government affairs, told the council that Nashville was “a great place to do tunneling,” as evidenced by existing tunnels built previously by other entities.

This isn’t the first time that a Musk-owned company has drawn criticism from Tennesseans for operating around regulatory loopholes and without advance notice. His xAI data center began operating in Memphis in 2024, powered in part by pollution-emitting gas turbines, without first applying for a permit, which led to residents loudly protesting at city meetings.