Safety first
Cheekwood traffic belongs on Highway 100.
We support Cheekwood. We support safe, responsible growth with infrastructure that protects the people who live beside it.
Recent Op-Ed in The Tennessean
Everyone wants to live in a safe neighborhood.
Read a recent opinion from a local neighbor on why this is not about closing Cheekwood — it is about following zoning laws, respecting neighbors, and putting proper Highway 100 access in place before expansion.
Setting the record straight
Read The Truth
Cheekwood has posted Fact/Fiction claims. We respond point by point with the neighborhood’s position and supporting context.
Legal filings
What has been filed
NFS has filed two related legal actions asking Metro to apply and enforce the zoning, access, permitting and safety requirements that protect surrounding residents.
Complaint for declaratory judgment and injunctive relief
The complaint asks the Chancery Court to determine compliance with applicable residential zoning restrictions and special exception conditions, to compel Metro to enforce its laws, and to prevent further harm while those issues are reviewed.
Item A zoning appeal
The Item A appeal challenges approval of the proposed multi-level parking structure and asks Metro to review the project under R20 zoning, nonconforming-use rules, and the conditions of the 1996 BZA order.
Bottom line: this is not about closing Cheekwood. It is about requiring growth and construction to proceed lawfully, safely, transparently and with the right Highway 100 access solution in place.
The main point
This is not about closing Cheekwood.
Neighbors support Cheekwood. The question is whether expansion and current operations proceed in a way that protects residents and respects traffic, safety and zoning concerns.
Infrastructure before expansion: We are asking for growth to respect the people who live beside it, include them in the process, and provide the right infrastructure first.
Why now
Good faith, for years. Real concerns today.
Neighbors have spent years in meetings, studies and discussions seeking solutions. Many neighbors are Cheekwood supporters, donors and attendees.
Blasting became imminent while major expansion moved forward without resolving longstanding traffic and safety concerns.
What traffic looks like
The pictures make the safety issue real.
These neighbor-submitted images, featured in the one-page summary, show narrow residential streets clogged with visitor and event traffic.
What the data shows
The safety issue is simple.
Metro's materials and neighborhood records point to the same common-sense solution: move Cheekwood-related traffic away from local residential streets and to Highway 100.
Attendance growth
Cheekwood is serving far more visitors than it did a decade ago.
Publicly reported annual attendance averaged about 245,000 from 2013–2020 and about 400,000 from 2021–2023—an increase of roughly 64%.
Reported annual attendance has remained elevated, including 392,000 in 2023 and 380,000 in both 2024 and 2025. Public attendance counts do not capture all private weddings and events.
Average annual attendance
Several residential routes carry roughly 2.5-3 times Metro's 1,000-vehicle/day neighborhood benchmark.
Nearly 70% of nearby rooftops support moving Cheekwood-related traffic away from residential streets and toward Highway 100.
Metro reviewed 15+ peer cultural institutions similar to Cheekwood. All had arterial access similar to Highway 100.
Traffic and mobility source: Metro's Belle Meade Highlands Design and Mobility Study.
Read and share the one-page summary.
It summarizes the traffic, safety, infrastructure and process concerns in a format neighbors and supporters can easily forward.
Quick visual summary
See the one-page summary at a glance.
The flyer brings together the core message: support Cheekwood, prioritize safety, move destination traffic to Highway 100, and put infrastructure before expansion.
The common-sense ask
What neighbors are asking for
- Pair on-site parking with a primary Highway 100 entrance and exit.
- Move visitor, vendor and construction traffic off residential streets and to Highway 100.
- Require transparent blasting, stormwater, noise, safety and zoning safeguards.
- Give the most affected residents a meaningful seat at the table.
Who is NFS?
A neighborhood safety effort
NFS is a volunteer neighborhood organization representing hundreds of Belle Meade Highlands households.
Nearly 70% of rooftops supported moving Cheekwood-related traffic away from local streets and to Highway 100.
Community updates
Stay informed
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Media inquiries
Press contact
Media inquiries, please contact Chanelle Acheson at 1.629.255.6227 or chanelle@waddeyacheson.com.
Show your support
Want a yard sign?
Drop us an email and the team will deliver one to you.
You can also email bmhsafety@gmail.com directly.
Help our effort
Support the Cause
Contributions support the neighborhood's ongoing safety, advocacy and legal work.
Checks may be made payable to Neighbors For Safety BMH, Inc. and mailed to Neighbors For Safety BMH, Inc., c/o Waddey Acheson, 1030 16th Ave. S, Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37212.
Neighbors for Safety BMH, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3). We will provide donation documentation for your records. Please include your name and email address with your contribution.