Lawmakers outline Music City Loop tunnel plan, say state has authority for initial corridor

Senator Jack Johnson described the Music City Loop project at length, saying the Boring Company plans an eight-mile tunneled connection from downtown Nashville to Nashville International Airport and that initial approvals did not require new legislation because the state controls subsurface rights under certain state roads.

"The state had the authority...to advance that project," Johnson said, explaining that the machine bores under state-owned right-of-way and that the Nashville Airport Authority and Music City Center governing board voted to allow stations on their property. He described plans for ingress/egress at the convention center and near the state capitol and said the project aims to take cars off crowded roads at lower operating cost than taxis.

Johnson said he sponsored legislation to create a "subterranean infrastructure transit authority" to provide a single permitting and oversight entity for future tunneling projects that cross local jurisdictions and right-of-way lines, and that the state fire marshal would have emergency-response authority for tunnels. He also emphasized the project was to be funded by private investment and said, "there's not one penny of taxpayer dollars going towards it."

A Williamson Herald reporter asked what gave the state authority to approve the routing without legislative approval; Johnson reiterated that easements under state roads and board approvals for airport and convention center property provided the legal basis while noting local permitting and environmental approvals would still be required for extensions outside state-owned property.

The forum discussion was descriptive and did not include formal approvals; Johnson said appointments and further regulatory details will follow if the authority is implemented.