Metro Council to question The Boring Company publicly for first time over proposed Nashville airport tunnel

A first public appearance before council members

Representatives of The Boring Company are scheduled to appear in a public setting before Nashville’s Metropolitan Council for the first time on Thursday, February 19, 2026, during the Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee meeting. The meeting is set for 4:30 p.m. and is expected to draw questions from multiple council members about the company’s proposed “Music City Loop.”

The committee session comes after months of disagreement over how much project information has been shared with local elected officials. Council members have raised concerns about transparency and the lack of a formal public briefing, while the company has promoted the project publicly and discussed a construction timeline dependent on obtaining permits and approvals.

What the Music City Loop proposal involves

The proposed Music City Loop is an underground tunnel system intended to connect downtown Nashville and Nashville International Airport (BNA), with a route described publicly as spanning roughly 13 miles. The concept envisions passengers traveling in electric vehicles within tunnels between stations at each end of the corridor. The project was announced in July 2025 alongside Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, positioning the tunnel as a transportation innovation aimed at addressing congestion and supporting regional growth.

In separate public presentations in 2025, company officials indicated the downtown starting point would use a state-owned parking lot and described the airport tunnel as a potential first segment of a broader network.

Council resolution and key issues likely to surface

On January 3, 2026, the Metro Council voted to defer a symbolic resolution that criticizes The Boring Company for what it describes as insufficient engagement with the Council and the community, and for reported labor and safety concerns connected to the company’s work elsewhere. The resolution was filed on December 9, 2025, and has been deferred more than once.

Among the topics embedded in the resolution and related public discussion are:

• whether the Council and the public have received adequate information on tunnel design, safety protocols, construction impacts, and oversight;
• how geological conditions and stormwater or flooding risks would be addressed in Nashville;
• what role, if any, Metro government approvals would play if the project primarily uses state-controlled property and corridors;
• labor and contractor practices, including previously reported regulatory actions in other states involving The Boring Company’s projects.

What is known about approvals and public access to the meeting

Separately from Metro Council action, a state panel previously approved a lease allowing The Boring Company to use a state-owned downtown parking lot connected to the project’s proposed starting location. Public officials have emphasized that additional permits and approvals would still be needed before tunneling can begin.

The February 19 committee meeting will be publicly viewable through Metro Nashville Network platforms, including online streaming options used for Council meetings.

The public committee session is expected to be a key test of whether council members’ questions can be answered in a formal, on-the-record setting as the project’s planning and permitting process continues.