NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A sleek new tunnel connecting downtown Nashville to the airport may soon be underway, but many local residents are asking a pointed question: Who is this really for? At a press conference on Monday, July 28, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee along with Steve Davis of Elon Musk’s Boring Company announced plans for a high-speed underground tunnel beneath Murfreesboro Pike. The route—intended for Tesla vehicles only—would run from a state-owned downtown lot to Nashville International Airport (BNA), bypassing several predominantly Black and immigrant communities along the corridor.
The tunnel, state officials said, will be privately funded and require no taxpayer dollars. However, there are no plans to integrate the project into WeGo Public Transit or any local transportation system, raising red flags among community members and city leaders. “We are aware of the state’s conversations with the Boring Company, and we have a number of operational questions to understand the potential impacts on Metro and Nashvillians,” said Mayor Freddie O’Connell in a statement following the announcement.
Murfreesboro Pike has long served as a vital connection for working-class commuters—particularly in South Nashville, Antioch, and Napier—many of whom rely on WeGo buses to reach jobs in hospitality, healthcare, and airport services. The tunnel would pass beneath these neighborhoods without offering access or stops along the way. “This proposed tunnel would be super convenient for downtown visitors and people who hold free parking passes at the Capitol,” said Metro Councilmember Sean Parker. “But let’s not forget that BNA is Middle Tennessee’s connection to the world. We need robust local and regional transit service to get our people to and from the airport as well. This tunnel would not achieve that, and we need to keep working to deliver real solutions for Middle Tennessee.”…