NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — NewsChannel5 viewers had questions about The Boring Company's tunnel project connecting Nashville International Airport to downtown after our report last week. I reached out to the company directly to get answers to those questions.
The Boring Company says the Music City Loop project is 100% privately funded, with no direct cost to Tennessee taxpayers for construction or operation. The company said it will rely on private investments and future rider fares to recoup costs.
The tunnel will be built at an average depth of about 30 feet below the surface, with adjustments where site conditions require.
The company said it is also planning additional tunnels in Nashville, including one running beneath Broadway. A spokesperson said that route would start at Lower Broadway, continue along West End Avenue, pass Centennial Park and Vanderbilt University, and terminate near Interstate 440. Exact station locations are still being determined and are in various stages of design.
If needed the Music City Loop could extend under the Cumberland River. The Boring Company said it would use subsurface exploration, historic geologic data, and design reviews by regulatory agencies to build it safely — similar to river tunnel projects in other parts of the country.
The company points to its Vegas Loop, which runs almost entirely below the water table. The company says it has extensive experience mitigating water intrusion and safely tunneling below the water table.
In November, our sister Scripps station KTNV reported about a mysterious green pond of water at one Boring construction site off Paradise Road in Las Vegas. It sparked concerns due to the color. State environmental officials visited the site but did not take samples, saying the water was a mix of naturally occurring groundwater and rainwater.
The Vegas Loop carries passengers in Teslas through tunnels underneath Las Vegas, primarily shuttling people across the large Las Vegas Convention Center campus. Work there is ongoing to expand operations to additional destinations.
Nashville's Mayor has said the city's Office of Emergency Management is in regular contact with The Boring Company and will likely visit the company's Las Vegas system at some point.
Once everything is complete, The Boring Company will remain responsible for all maintenance and upkeep with the tunnels.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@NewsChannel5.com
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