Pedal Taverns Could Be Kept Off Downtown Nashville Roads During Rush Hour

Pedal taverns — those rolling, multi-person bicycles that allow mobile beer guzzling in downtown Nashville — could soon face a new regulation. They’re not going away, but they may be seen less often.

The pedal taverns have become part of the Lower Broadway scene, alongside golf carts and horse-drawn carriages.

While their operators actually asked for government oversight a couple years ago, one thing was overlooked.

Now Metro wants the power to control when pedal taverns can be on the streets, said Billy Fields, director of the
Transportation Licensing Commission.

“The pedal carriages are slow-moving vehicles and there have been some concerns expressed that during rush hour, when traffic is at the heaviest, it might not be the best time for them to be on the streets,” he said.

The Metro Council will
start discussing the issue this week. Eventually, if the council gives authority to the licensing commission, the time limits would be added to rules about background checks, insurance, and equipment inspections.

Fields said the system is designed for safety.

“We’re expecting professional, prudent operations of all the vehicles we operate,” he said. “We expect them to operate safely and follow the rules of the road, and if they don’t, the Metropolitan police are certainly going to be working with them to help them understand they have to follow the rules.”

Earlier this month, the commission set boundaries for low-speed vehicles — like golf carts — to keep them out of Green Hills. But they can still roam from Five Points in East Nashville to Centennial Park, and from MetroCenter to the 12South neighborhood.

“They were operating, occasionally in Green Hills,” Fields said. “There were some issues in terms of public safety.”