Walking to Gaylord's Opryland

Less than one mile separates Opryland, Nashville's biggest mall and convention center, from the Cumberland River Bridge, a jewel in the city's celebrated greenway system.

But this mile is treacherous for pedestrians, the only pathway being I-155, a six-lane highway.

Opryland could easily connect the mall and greenway. A scenic two-lane service road already runs most the way, connecting the mall to the Gaylord office building near the Bridge. But this road is blocked by tall fencing and clear "no trespassing" signs.

The signs specifically prohibit pedestrians and bicycles.

So, a pedestrian must walk along I-155. The shoulder is craggy, muddy, and crowded with brambles, but at least a metal guardrail separates the walker from traffic most the way.

One narrow stretch, about 100 yards long, has no guardrail. A pedestrian can only walk on the thin concrete shoulder--zooming traffic on the right, a concrete wall and long drop on the left.

This 100-yard stretch ends directly at a busy entrance ramp, so oncoming drivers are accelerating, merging, and ignoring the narrow shoulder before them.

What a mess.

Wouldn't Gaylord Entertainment, which operates Opryland, want to encourage traffic from the popular greenway? Families from East Nashville could bike to the mall for the movies and arcades. Convention-goers could enjoy the scenic vistas from the Cumberland River Bridge.

Gaylord could easily construct a small pedway along the service road. But then they would also have to make their gigantic parking system more pedestrian-friendly.

So maybe they discourage greenway pedestrians on purpose.