Tennessee officials describe 8‑mile Music City Loop tunnel and new oversight authority

Senator Jack Johnson told the Policy Talks audience that the state has entered an agreement with the Boring Company to build an approximately eight‑mile subterranean transit link between downtown Nashville and Nashville International Airport.

Johnson said the administration negotiated easements and station access with the Nashville Airport Authority, the Music City Center and state property owners and that the initial segment did not require legislative action because much of the route traverses state‑owned right‑of‑way. ‘‘They could grant them the easement to bore underneath that road,’’ he said, describing statutory authority to approve tunnel access under state roads and property.

The senator described legislation he carried to establish a ‘‘subterranean infrastructure transit authority’’ — a one‑stop oversight body to coordinate permits, safety reviews and interjurisdictional questions as the project expands. He said the Boring Company invited him to review operations and safety procedures and that the company projects roughly eight‑minute travel times and fares at about half the cost of an Uber or taxi for airport trips.

Johnson emphasized his view that the project is privately financed: ‘‘There’s not one penny of taxpayer dollars going towards it,’’ he said. He and audience members argued the tunnel could reduce surface congestion and improve safety by moving thousands of cars off roads leading to downtown during peak events.

Reporter Kelly Mayo asked why the legislature had not needed to act; Johnson explained that because the initial alignment goes under state roads and state‑owned land (including airport property), the executive branch had existing authority to grant easements and long‑term leases. He also noted the legislation creates state safety oversight (state fire marshal responsibilities) and a streamlined process for future routing that crosses local jurisdictions.

Next steps: Johnson said appointments to the new oversight authority will follow the law enacted by the General Assembly; implementation details, environmental reviews and local permitting remain outstanding. The forum did not include engineering studies or federal approvals; those will be necessary as the project moves forward.

Coverage based on remarks at the Williamson County Policy Talks program.