Geotechnical exploratory borings near the beautiful Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
Preparation for Music City Loop continues with controlled blasting to excavate the TBM launch shaft – the final depth will allow tunneling safely beneath existing utilities.
Each blast is carefully engineered and monitored to limit vibration, protect nearby structures, and ensure public safety. Vibration in the nearest building was monitored and recorded to be less than that of a washing machine! And, with extra layers of blasting mats, the noise measured was softer than the trains passing by. We greatly appreciate the partnership and oversight from @TennDGS, @myTDOT, @NashvilleDOT, and the State Architect for their thorough review and approval process.
Drilling took place at First & Broadway and Fourth & Broadway — near the historic Riverfront Park and Tootsie’s in the heart of Nashville’s famous Honky-Tonk Highway.
https://www.boringcompany.com/music-city-loop-blog
Prufrock-4 is our smartest, fastest and safest Tunnel Boring Machine. And the next iterations (5, 6, and 7) are already being built at The Boring Factory in Texas. Goal is Continuous Mining and Zero-People-in-Tunnel (ZPIT). We are hiring exceptional ME, EE, and SWEs – join us!
Where TBC is Focusing
Building subsurface transportation systems is not easy, and there will be many challenges/learnings in executing Music City Loop. A key reason Nashville was selected is that the state and local partners made it clear that they would be committed to taking on the inevitable challenges head-on – to date, this group has certainly delivered!
For full transparency, a few key items are being tracked closely in order to avoid potential project delays:
Tunnel Permit Approvals: The proposed project crosses beneath critical TDOT and CSX infrastructure, TBC is working closely with these groups on the relevant approvals to unlock tunneling.
Airport Agreement: In order to tunnel on Airport property, TBC must finalize station/tunnel alignment details and agreement terms; there has been good progress on each (very appreciative of the Airport’s quick responses), with additional work to be done to get approval.
Tunnel Lease Agreement: For operating Music City Loop beneath TN right-of-way, a lease agreement with TDOT that requires federal approval is required; this agreement is in progress with TDOT.
Station Agreements: The more, the better! Engagement with the local community is ongoing, and interest in key destinations has been overwhelmingly positive. More than 20 stations are in various stages of design. Each station is planned in detail with the property owner, with a focus on safety, ridership, vehicle flow, and pedestrian wayfinding.
Thank You, Nashville
The more the team learns about Nashville and gets to know state and local partners, the more exciting Music City Loop becomes. If there is anything that could be done better, please let us know through nashville@boringcompany.com!
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