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House Transportation Committee advances bill to create statewide authority for subterranean tunnels despite Nashville opposition
Summary
The House Transportation Committee voted 17–3 on March 17 to advance House Bill 2450—creating a Subterranean Transportation Infrastructure Coordination Authority for tunnels intended for electric or autonomous vehicles—after Metro Council members from Nashville warned the proposal sidelines local input and raises safety, environmental and ADA concerns.
The Tennessee House Transportation Committee on March 17 approved House Bill 2450 as amended, a measure that would establish a statewide Subterranean Transportation Infrastructure Coordination Authority and a governor’s council to set a uniform framework for planning, permitting and constructing subterranean tunnels intended to move passengers or goods using electric or autonomous vehicles. The committee recorded a 17–3 vote to advance the bill to next steps in the legislative process.
Sponsor Rep. Garrett told the committee the amendment (drafting code 15570) creates a statewide legal framework for approval and oversight and said the proposal is applicable to any operator in the space. “There’ll be no cost. zero cost to the taxpayer,” the sponsor said while defending the bill’s fiscal and regulatory structure.
Opponents included two Metro Nashville council members who testified against the project as currently envisioned. Brenda Gad said the Metro Council had adopted a resolution opposing the Music City Loop and urged lawmakers to respect local decisions. Dr. Sandy Ewing, vice chair of the council’s transportation and infrastructure committee, said the Boring Company’s record raised “significant red flags,” citing published investigative reporting on worker safety, instances of halted tunneling and chemical and physical injuries. Ewing also questioned the independence of an environmental assessment that relies in part on company-supplied documents and argued the tunnel proposal conflicts with Nashville’s voter-approved "Choose How You Move" plan.
Ewing raised accessibility and emergency-safety concerns under the Americans with Disabilities Act, saying proposed egress points “as far as 2,500 ft apart” would make evacuation difficult for people with mobility impairments. She also warned of geological risks in karst terrain and potential harm to endemic species where routes cross waterways.
Committee members debated the tradeoffs. Representative Marsh and Representative Wright praised the project’s potential to move visitors and relieve surface traffic, citing other implementations and revenue-sharing arrangements reported elsewhere. Opponents and some undecided members said the project — as described in the testimony — appears to favor private, single-occupancy vehicles over high-capacity public transit and lacks adequate local engagement and full safety disclosures.
After extended discussion, a motion to end debate carried, the clerk opened the board, and the committee recorded a 17–3 vote to advance the bill. Committee minutes show the measure will move to the Government Operations docket after referral clarifications. No final contract or construction decision was made by the committee; the action advances the bill through the legislative process.
What’s next: House Bill 2450 now proceeds in the legislative pipeline (committee referrals noted in the record). Interested local governments and agencies may seek further amendments, fiscal clarifications and additional safety or ADA compliance language as the bill moves to subsequent committees.
