A Metro Council member filed a resolution on Tuesday that opposes the Music City Loop, which Elon Musk’s Boring Company is building in Nashville.
Council Member Delishia Porterfield (At-Large) said she filed this resolution after talking with a constituent last month.
“The Boring Company CEO Steve Davis stated there was overwhelming support for the project despite clear evidence of significant community concern, many unanswered questions, and the company’s refusal to publicly engage the Council to answer our constituents’ questions,” Porterfield (pictured above) said on Facebook.
The council member noted that if this resolution passes, it will not prevent the tunnel from being constructed.
The resolution said it opposed the Boring Company’s tunnels in Nashville and Davidson County because of “lack of transparency, inadequate community and Council engagement, and troubling labor and safety practices.”
“Affirming that public land and public infrastructure decisions must prioritize the welfare, safety, and expressed needs of Nashville residents; and reiterating the Council’s commitment to real, equitable, community-driven transit solutions,” the resolution said.
According to the resolution, Nashville residents have expressed frustration that they were not “meaningfully consulted” on the project’s potential effects on the environment, geology, and public safety.
“People of Nashville expect–and deserve– a transparent decision-making process for large-scale infrastructure projects, particularly those involving public resources and long-term community impact,” the resolution said.
Porterfield’s resolution noted the Boring Company declined a meeting with the council’s Budget and Finance Committee and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. On a second request from the council, the Boring Company did not respond, the resolution noted.
The Boring Company has chosen to “engage selectively” with certain council members, which has resulted in an “inconsistent flow of information,” the resolution stated.
Porterfield expressed concerns about safety in her resolution, citing a subcontractor who walked off the Music City Loop job site after receiving late payments and raising safety concerns.
The resolution also pointed to past “labor concerns” at the Boring Company’s Las Vegas tunnel site, where numerous safety issues, including “ventilation hazards, equipment issues, and inadequate emergency protocols,” were documented.
“These safety repeating safety and labor deficiencies raise profound concerns about the company’s ability to conduct tunneling operations safely beneath Nashville’s homes, businesses, and public right of ways,” the resolution said.
Another concern the resolution raises is what happens if the Boring Company doesn’t complete its project. It cited past canceled tunnel projects in Baltimore, Los Angeles, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Austin, and Abu Dhabi.
The resolution stated this “pattern raises concerns that Nashville could be left with unrepaired excavation sites, stranded infrastructure, or long-term liabilities should the project be delayed, abandoned, or significantly altered.”
The resolution asked Boring Company to participate in a public briefing with the council, release “environmental, geological, safety and fiscal studies for independent review, comply with “fair labor and contractor standards,” communicate with all council members, and provide restoration plans in the event the project is delayed, altered, or abandoned.
The Boring Company anticipates finishing the Music City Loop in the first quarter of 2027.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at zschmidt1717@gmail.com.
Background Photo “Boring Company Construction” by Boring Company.
