Tennessee Approves Temporary Land Lease for Nashville Tesla Tunnel Project

Elon Musk's Boring Company is advancing plans for the Music City Loop, a private underground tunnel connecting Nashville International Airport to downtown Nashville using Tesla vehicles. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee supports the project, highlighting its innovation and potential to reduce traffic and emissions by removing thousands of cars from roads. A critical step occurred when the State Building Commission approved a no-cost lease of state-owned land on Rosa Parks Boulevard to serve as the construction staging area and tunnel launch site. However, the project has faced criticism from some local and state lawmakers, including Sen. Charlane Oliver, who argue that there has been insufficient public transparency, community input, and competitive bidding in the process. Further approvals, permits, environmental reviews, and agreements are still required before construction can begin, despite the lease approval. The tunnel aims to provide faster and more reliable travel during high-traffic periods and is expected to offer 24 million rides annually once operational.