Nashville International Airport has officially approved a $34 million agreement with Elon Musk’s The Boring Company to build a dedicated underground tunnel for Tesla vehicles. The project aims to move passengers between the airport’s main terminal and a new remote parking garage, bypassing surface-level traffic and pedestrian congestion.
The tunnel system is designed to use a fleet of human-driven Tesla vehicles to shuttle travellers back and forth in a matter of minutes. According to The Tennessean, the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) board approved the contract this week, making it the first project of its kind for the company at a major U.S. airport outside of Nevada.
This move follows the implementation of the Vegas Loop in Las Vegas, where The Boring Company operates a similar system beneath the city’s convention centre. Bloomberg reports that while the project was initially envisioned as an autonomous high-speed sled system, it has evolved into a more practical shuttle service using standard Tesla Model X and Model Y vehicles.
While the $34 million price tag covers the initial construction and infrastructure, the airport expects the system to improve efficiency as passenger volume continues to grow. By moving the shuttle service underground, Nashville officials hope to free up road capacity for other airport transit needs and reduce wait times for those using the remote parking facilities.
Construction is expected to begin shortly. The Boring Company has been aggressively bidding on municipal projects across the United States, and the Nashville deal represents a significant win for the firm as it tries to prove the viability of its “Loop” technology for mass transit hubs.
