Rethinking Transit: Why Nashville Should Go Underground with Point-to-Point Transport

By the LOOP Nashville Editorial Staff

In Nashville, transit conversations tend to follow a familiar script: should we build more surface rail, try light rail again, or double down on bus rapid transit? We’ve been having versions of this debate for decades—meanwhile, traffic just keeps getting worse. The truth is, none of those 20th-century models are likely to solve our 21st-century mobility problems.

It’s time for us to reimagine what public transportation can be, and stop trying to retrofit old ideas onto a growing, modern city. That’s where subterranean point-to-point transport—like the planned Music City LOOP—comes in. It’s not just another transit project. It’s a fundamentally different way of moving people.

Speed Without Interruption

Traditional rail systems run on fixed routes with frequent stops, so your travel time depends as much on where other people need to go as on how fast the train moves. Point-to-point LOOP travel works more like a nonstop flight than a commuter train—you board, it goes directly to your destination, and you get off. No detours, no crawling between stations, no waiting for doors to open at places you never planned to visit. And unlike traditional rail, you’re not stuck waiting on a crowded train to finally arrive, only to watch it pull away without you because there’s no room to board.

Scalability Without Disruption

Surface rail means taking lanes from existing streets or buying up long corridors of real estate—expensive, disruptive, and politically explosive. Even subway expansions in big cities can mean years of torn-up streets. A deep-bore LOOP tunnel, on the other hand, can be added quietly and incrementally, with little to no impact on daily life above ground. Each new segment strengthens the network, creating a growing web of direct connections between high-demand spots.

Efficiency in Operations and Maintenance

Rail comes with constant upkeep: tracks, switches, power lines—all exposed to weather and daily wear. A subterranean LOOP system runs in a controlled environment with electric autonomous vehicles, which means fewer breakdowns, lower maintenance costs, and far more reliable service.

A Better Rider Experience

Let’s face it—Nashvillians don’t ride buses. We’ve seen that for decades, and bus rapid transit isn’t going to change that. Much of the hesitation around transit here isn’t just about speed; it’s about the experience. Nobody wants to be crammed into a crowded car, stuck in unpredictable delays, and shuttled past stop after stop before finally reaching their destination.

Point-to-point transport changes that equation. Riders travel in small, comfortable pods, going directly where they need to go—no detours, no transfers, no compromises. It’s a level of convenience that can actually pull people out of their cars, because it works on their schedule, not the other way around.

A Proven History of Private Investment

Some of the first underground railways—like London’s Metropolitan Railway in 1863—weren’t public works projects at all. They were privately built and operated, designed to meet demand and turn a profit. Early American streetcar systems followed the same model, expanding rapidly because the market supported them.

The Music City LOOP revives that tradition through a modern public-private partnership with The Boring Company. The project is funded with private capital, operated by a private entity, and expanded where demand is highest—all without costing Nashville taxpayers a single dime. Supply and demand, not subsidies and politics, will guide its growth. This is the same formula that built some of the fastest-growing transit systems in history—only now paired with 21st-century engineering and design.

Room for Nashville to Lead

While other cities are still arguing over which rail line to extend—or whether to add more bus lanes—Nashville has a chance to leapfrog outdated models entirely. The Music City LOOP can grow in months, not decades, and adapt quickly to the needs of a city that’s changing fast.

We don’t have to settle for the old way of doing things. Nashville can be the city that proves there’s a better way to move people—faster, cheaper, and without ever getting stuck in traffic again.

Photo Credit: Google Earth