Underground transit tunnels back on the table for Miami Beach
- GAB NEWS
- Sep 9
- 2 min read
Sep 3, 2025
by: Martin Vassolo
The mayor of Miami Beach wants to explore the possibility of building underground tunnels to improve traffic.
Why it matters: After opposing plans to expand the Metromover from downtown Miami to South Beach, city leaders have turned to more experimental ideas to ease gridlock.
Commissioners voted in June to negotiate terms for a proposed water taxi service.
The latest: Mayor Steven Meiner will ask the City Commission on Wednesday to discuss whether underground transit tunnels would be "feasible" for Miami Beach, as part of the meeting's agenda.
The city suffers from chronic flooding, sits just a few feet above sea level and was built on porous limestone.
The intrigue: In 2022, Meiner proposed reaching out to Elon Musk's The Boring Company about the possibility of building transit tunnels in Miami Beach.
But this time, Meiner says he isn't proposing any one specific project.
In a memo, he says he wants to explore the tunnel idea more broadly, including engineering and environmental considerations, potential funding sources and integration with local transit systems.
Flashback: Musk's tunnel company is no stranger to South Florida.
In 2021 and 2022, The Boring Company submitted plans to Fort Lauderdale and North Miami Beach to build underground Tesla car tunnels, similar to a Boring project in Las Vegas called the Vegas Loop.
The Fort Lauderdale project was suspended and North Miami Beach officials did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday on the status of its project, which was reportedly still active in 2023.
Musk and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez discussed building tunnels in Miami in 2021. The city studied the possibility of building a tunnel system, but it's unclear if that ever moved forward.
A spokesperson for Suarez did not immediately respond to questions about the project.
As a city commissioner in 2022, Meiner proposed that the city study the possibility of underground tunnels in Miami Beach and that the administration contact The Boring Company.
His resolution passed, but it's unclear if the city ever held discussions with Musk's company. Neither Meiner nor the city responded to requests for comment Tuesday.
What's next: At Wednesday's commission meeting, Meiner has proposed to discuss whether the city should seek expert recommendations on a potential tunnel project or review case studies from other local governments, per the agenda.
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