Metro sends a long list of questions to state officials about Elon Musk's Music City Loop tunnel project

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro officials are asking a long list of questions to the state about Elon Musk's tunnel project.

The Mayor's Director of Legislative Affairs, Dave Rosenberg, sent a letter addressed to the Vice Mayor and Members of Council this afternoon detailing the questions.

The letter opened with information about when Metro first heard about the tunnel.

The letter stated, "We first heard informal chatter about Boring considering a tunnel on the East Bank last spring, but like many speculative ideas that cross the mayor's desk, it came and went without follow-up or signs of a serious proposal."

The letter states, "Last Monday's press conference was the most detail the administration has received regarding this project."

The letter then lists questions it sent to the state, including:

Who will own the tunnel long-term? AA? State? Boring Co?

Who will operate the Tunnel? Does their financial proforma show a surplus/profit? If not, who covers the deficit?

How will emergency vehicle access be maintained during and after tunnel construction? Las Vegas tunnel exits are identified by numbers, not associated with any addressing points at the street level. (In Las Vegas, the Boring Company provided - in the contract - pre-positioned ATVs outfitted by the Fire Department to access tunnels with all necessary rescue equipment.)

The width of the tunnel in Las Vegas allows 3 inches between the vehicle door and the tunnel wall (built specifically to the size of a standard Tesla Model Y). If an emergency occurs in the vehicle while in the tunnel, how can personnel reach those inside the vehicle?

Here is the opening of the letter sent to the Metro Council:

Vice Mayor and Members of Council,

Like you, the Mayor's Office and Metro departments have many questions about the announced partnership between the State of Tennessee and The Boring Company. We first heard informal chatter about Boring considering a tunnel on the East Bank last spring, but, like many speculative ideas that cross the mayor's desk, it came and went without follow-up or signs of a serious proposal.

Last Monday's press conference was the most detail the administration has received regarding this project. Below is a list of questions Metro has submitted to date.

Multiple questions follow.

We have shared the entire letter below:

Vice Mayor and Members of Council,

Like you, the Mayor's Office and Metro departments have many questions about the announced partnership between the State of Tennessee and The Boring Company. We first heard informal chatter about Boring considering a tunnel on the East Bank last spring, but, like many speculative ideas that cross the mayor's desk, it came and went without follow-up or signs of a serious proposal.

Last Monday's press conference was the most detail the administration has received regarding this project. Below is a list of questions Metro has submitted to date.

Pre-Evaluation Questions

• How will emergency vehicle access be maintained during and after tunnel construction? Las Vegas tunnel exits are identified by numbers, not associated with any addressing points at the street level. (In Las Vegas, the Boring Company provided - in the contract - pre-positioned ATVs outfitted by the Fire Department to access tunnels with all necessary rescue equipment.)
• There are jurisdictional differences regarding which authority is responsible for permitting a project for life safety, including plan review and subsequent inspections. Given that the Nashville Fire Department will be the agency providing emergency response, it makes sense that NFD would have authority over the life safety permitting requirements. Both the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Nashville Fire Marshal’s Office have adopted their own versions of the fire code, and there may be differences between the two. It is important to review the applicable jurisdiction and code requirements to ensure proper compliance.
• Will these tunnels be constructed with wireless repeaters or radio frequency extenders allowing 911 calls to be placed clearly from underground or support radio communications from responders to dispatch or other surface-level resources?
• Where will emergency access points be established?
• The width of the tunnel in Las Vegas allows 3 inches between the vehicle door and the tunnel wall (built specifically to the size of a standard Tesla Model Y). If an emergency occurs in the vehicle while in the tunnel, how can personnel reach those inside the vehicle?
• If a vehicle battery ignited while in the tunnel, where does the smoke and hazardous gas vent from the tunnel?
• The Las Vegas tunnel restricts pedestrians in this incredibly-narrow tunnel solely with signage and a plastic drop bar that can be walked around or under. How can we ensure pedestrians do not access the tunnel, causing a hazard?
• The Las Vegas tunnel is not built to drain floodwater/rainwater. Rainfall from either end of the tunnel can flow freely down into the tunnel. More than 8 inches of water shuts down operations. How will rainfall/floodwater be mitigated in an area like Nashville, prone to flooding?
• What is the total cost?
• Is the planning, design, and construction cost of the project to be completely borne by the Boring Company?
• How will this impact insurances? Liability, Property, Workers Comp, ISO?
• Who will own the tunnel long term? AA? State? Boring Co?
• How will the Tunnel pay for upkeep and emergency services? PILOT? Are they tax exempt? Similar to a utility?
• Will they be paying for movement of existing utilities? Will they follow permitting as required?
• Will there be an agreement with the City for emergency services and how to access private or authority property?
• If someone is hurt, who is liable?
• Who will permit the whole project? Do we have the right type of permit/inspectors to handle this type of work?
• Would any land leases/sale at the airport have to go through Council?
• Are they going to pay franchise fees? To the State? To the Airport?
• Who will operate the Tunnel? Does their financial proforma show a surplus/profit? If not, who covers the deficit?
• Will this be presented to GNRC for consideration of inclusion in the TIP in order to add it to the STIP? When will that briefing or presentation occur?
• What will the environmental review process entail? Assuming they seek a CE, what input will the community be provided during the preliminary design, environmental, design, and construction phases? Who will lead that process?
• Which entity is responsible for review of constructions plans for the road, utilities, etc?
• Will emergency access sites have associated buildings? If yes, will the buildings be located within ROW or on private property?
• Will construction require abandonment and relocation of Metro utilities? (water/sewer/stormwater)
• What are the impacts to surface areas (roads, public and private parking, transit routes, any closures, detours, etc?)
• Contingency planning for critical incidents involving this project?
• Threats to Project/Project Staff
• Dedicated project site security staff and management of security.
• Existing Infrastructure and Natural Events, Weather, etc.
• During the construction of the Transit Tunnel, who will respond/assist in emergency situations, to include incidents involving workers?
• Invert of existing 8.5' sewer tunnel at Lafayette and Lewis Streets along proposed tunnel route is at elevation 391, or 50' below existing grade
• Invert of existing 8' storm tunnel at Lafayette and 7th Avenue S. along proposed tunnel route is approximately 38' below existing grade
• Proposed tunnel route and depth may conflict with a potential future sewer tunnel
• How would station planning for this project at Nashville International Airport relate to existing plans for a new transportation center expected to be completed in the next 2 - 3 years?  The new transportation center is anticipated to accommodate a significant increase in bus volume for WeGo Public Transit as peak bus volumes would increase from approximately 1.5 WeGo Public Transit buses per hour to 12.0 WeGo Public Transit buses per hour, as the number of routes serving the airport increases from 1 to 4.
• How will planning for the project coordinate with planning for the Murfreesboro Pike All Access Corridor included in Choose How You Move? How will the project minimize disruptions to Metro’s plans to significantly upgrade transportation infrastructure and make changes to the right-of-way on Murfreesboro Pike?  Will the project account for ongoing TDOT planning work for the implementation of Choice Lanes in the I-24 corridor, with integration of transit service?
• What are the termini of the project? Where within downtown Nashville is the project anticipated to site its subterranean station? How will the subterranean station transport passengers to ground level? How will the project seek to minimize any disruption to Metro’s planned SoBro transit center near Representative John Lewis Way South, Elm Street, 4th Avenue South, and Ash Street that is included in the CHYM program?
• How will the project consider recommendations and findings from Connect Downtown? How will the project ensure alignment with Connect Downtown projects?
• What are the boundaries and termini of the project?  What is the project's planned route(s)?  How will the project consider alignment, partnership opportunities, and/or avoidance of conflict with transit centers and specifically The Elizabeth Duff Transit Center at WeGo Central, SoBro Transit Center and East Bank Transit Center?
• Is there a long-term vision for expansion along other corridors in the Middle Tennessee region? Is this segment envisioned as the spine of a broader network?
• Which local agencies are TDOT and The Boring Company currently coordinating with on this potential project?
• Is any state funding currently being considered or programmed for this effort?
• Is there potential for extending the corridor north to Bell Road?
• How will the proposed link align with Metro Nashville’s Choose How You Move (CHYM) deployments and priorities?
• How does this proposed link compare to other transit alternatives—such as surface BRT or light rail—in terms of capacity, scalability, and cost-effectiveness?
• What are the long-term funding mechanisms to support and sustain operations? Is revenue from the service expected to fully cover operations and maintenance costs?

Construction Questions

• Regarding the logistics of transportation, will there be a return Transit Tunnel, will the Transit Tunnel be one way, or will there be one Transit Tunnel with two-way roads?
• Will they be paying for movement of existing utilities? Will they follow permitting as required?
• What happens if the project gets started and is abandoned? Will there be bonds/LOC to cover the issues?
• What are the proposed dimensions (e.g., diameter and depth) of the underground tunnel system?
• How will geological and subsurface utility challenges—such as Tennessee limestone and existing underground infrastructure—be addressed?
• What are the anticipated surface-level impacts during construction, particularly to local streets, neighborhoods, and commercial corridors?
• How will the proposed tunnel system interface with existing surface-level transportation infrastructure (e.g., the airport, proposed and existing stations, transit hubs, and parking facilities)?
• What role will regional stakeholders like Metro Nashville play during the engineering, design, and construction phases?
• Can engineering plans or technical review documents from similar deployments (e.g., Las Vegas) be shared with Metro Nashville engineering teams? Are in-person technical briefings or peer reviews with local staff being considered?
• Are any concept plans available for the proposed system? If not, when will they be shared with Metro Nashville and other relevant public-sector stakeholders?
• Will the system be designed to remain within the existing right-of-way (ROW) along Murfreesboro Pike?
• Can technical specifications be provided for the future vehicles intended to operate within the tunnel?

Post-Implementation Questions

• How will contacting emergency services be advertised to users in the tunnel?
• How will they be accessed/secured to ensure only responders enter when necessary?
• How will they be mapped?
• Will the tunnels have cameras accessible for public safety and NDOT?
• In Las Vegas, the Operating Center for the Tunnel is located in a historically high-crime area, without fencing, leaving the monitoring center and all vehicles used to drive in the tunnel unsecured and open for tampering. Where will this center be located and the vehicles secured?
• Who will cover expenses relating to specialized equipment, training, materials, and other considerations for emergency response?
• Who will be responsible for managing security for the tunnel access? For example, if an unhoused individual(s) were to enter the safety area, who would be responsible for managing that response?
• With consideration to autonomous vehicles and electric cars, will License Plate Readers (LPRs) be utilized within/along the Transit Tunnel in service to tracking vehicles entering and exiting the tunnel?
• With regard to traffic crashes, associated obstructions, and general roadway enforcement, is the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) expected to respond, or will this be shared responsibility with the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP)?
• Specifically, which vehicles will be permitted into the Transit Tunnel? Will it only be autonomous vehicles and electric cars? Relatedly, will there be strictures and safeguards ensuring accessibility/admittance, and who will be responsible for managing this?
• Regarding the Transit Tunnel’s comprehensive logistics, what will be the associated staffing/manpower and their respective operational hours? Relatedly, concerning law enforcement presence, what staffing/man-power and operational hours will need to be dedicated to the Nashville Transit Tunnel and by which agencies?
• What will be the emergency contingency in the situation(s) when the Transit Tunnel will need to be shut down? Will the autonomous vehicles and electric cars be rerouted, and if so, what course will this take?
• From an investigative standpoint (and in partial association to Transit Tunnel shutdowns), what will be the emergency contingency plans as regards roadway homicides, non-lethal shootings, and fatalities.
• Will there be emergency contingency protocols in place in the cases of hazardous devices, including but not limited to Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and other incendiary weapons?
• How will the Tunnel pay for upkeep and emergency services? PILOT? Are they tax
• exempt? Similar to a utility?
• What is the long term capital maintenance costs of this project?
• If someone is hurt, who is liable?
• Who will operate the Tunnel? Does their financial proforma show a surplus/profit? If not, who covers the deficit?
• What are lasting impact to our infrastructure? Require additional Capital Maintenance?
• Where is the downtown station currently proposed to be located? While the Convention Center is one option, other locations—such as Music City Central—may provide greater benefit for both residents and visitors. Future facilities, including the proposed SoBro Transit Center and the East Bank Transit Center, should also be considered in station planning.