MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Last year, the City of Memphis introduced, 'Accelerate Memphis,' an initiative using $200 million in bonds to improve quality of life, connectivity, and driving equity and inclusion.
One of the areas included in the project is Orange Mound.
Just two weeks ago, the City of Memphis and Orange Mound residents met for the first time in-person after the City announced the Accelerate Memphis project. The meeting took place at Melrose High School.
Media was not allowed inside, but we caught up with the city and residents after the meeting.
To beautify Orange Mound, the City proposed gateway improvements at the intersections of Lamar and Park Avenues and Airways Boulevard and Park Avenue.
They also proposed reducing Park Avenue from four lanes to three lanes, adding a median with trees, better lighting, and a center turn lane.
The city said these changes would slow traffic and make the avenue safer for pedestrians and motorists; however, residents at the meeting gave some push back.
"There was some concerns about the option of a median and what that would do. I think, primarily, the concern there was for what that would do not only for traffic flow, but also for the parade related to the Southern Heritage Classic," said John Zeanah, City of Memphis Division of Planning and Development Director. "The other big concern was about the lane reduction from four lanes to three lanes. An advantage of doing that is that it returns on-street parking to Park Avenue."
Residents are also concerned with congestion if those changes take place; however, the city said it would make traffic flow better.
"Because you get the center turn lane, it actually improves traffic flow, but it also is an improvement on reducing car speeds and improving safety for pedestrians and motorists. Certainly, the community shares those goals of improving safety, improving security, and slowing speeds. We just need to make sure we've got a good solution on how to get there in a way that also benefits the community," said Zeanah.
One of residents’ big concerns is to preserve the history of the avenue. They said people such as Count Basie, BB King, W.C. Handy, and Elvis Presley used to walk that avenue.
Thus, residents are working on their own plan to present to the City.
In the meantime, the City plans on conducting a traffic analysis to present hard data to the community.