Tennessee Republicans propose new state authority to oversee Nashville’s Music City Loop tunnel project

Legislation would centralize oversight of subterranean transit projects as airport and state approvals advance

Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, a Republican from Franklin, has introduced legislation to create a new state agency designed to oversee underground transportation projects, including the proposed Music City Loop in Nashville. The measure would establish a “Subterranean Transportation Infrastructure Coordination Authority,” shifting key review and coordination functions toward the state at a time when local officials have raised concerns about transparency, safety and decision-making.

The proposal has already advanced through the Senate Commerce Committee. It would create an 11-member board supported by a 20-person staff and provide $5 million in funding. Appointments would be made by state leaders and state departments, with no city-appointed members outlined in the initial structure. While the legislation is written broadly to cover subterranean transportation infrastructure, the Music City Loop is currently the primary project it would apply to.

What the authority would do

As drafted, the new authority would be empowered to execute contracts, acquire property and enter lease agreements related to subterranean transit. It would also be positioned to regulate land use, utilities and associated infrastructure connected to tunnel projects. The bill includes a provision requiring local approval for tunneling beneath city-owned roads, but also creates an appeals pathway if local standards are deemed more stringent than those enforced by the state-level authority.

• Create a centralized statewide body for tunnel-related permitting and coordination
• Authorize contracts, property acquisition and lease agreements for subterranean projects
• Set regulatory standards affecting utilities and related infrastructure
• Provide a mechanism for companies to appeal local requirements to the state authority

Where the Music City Loop stands

The Music City Loop was unveiled in July 2025 as a privately funded underground system proposed by The Boring Company. The initial concept described a roughly 10-mile connection between downtown Nashville and Nashville International Airport, with projected travel times of about eight minutes and an intention to tunnel beneath state-owned roadways.

Since then, the project’s footprint and timeline have been described in varying terms across public updates. More recently, the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority approved a letter of intent connected to development at the airport, including a long-term licensing framework that anticipates airport revenue from license fees and user pickup and drop-off fees, while stating that the authority would not provide capital funding.

Local response and political friction

Within Metro Nashville government, opposition has taken the form of a symbolic resolution introduced by Councilmember Delishia Porterfield. The measure does not carry legal power to halt the project, but is intended to put the council’s concerns on record. The resolution cites issues including limited public engagement and questions about labor and safety practices.

The emerging dispute reflects a broader question: how much practical control local government can exercise over major infrastructure built largely along state-controlled corridors, while still intersecting with city permitting, utilities and emergency access requirements.

The Johnson legislation next awaits further consideration in the full Senate and has not yet moved through the House, setting up a high-stakes debate over governance as Nashville’s most closely watched transportation proposal advances through approvals and negotiations.