MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A street with the most visited home museum outside of the white house is finally getting what residents say are some well needed funding and repairs.
The $8.9 million Elvis Presley Blvd. Revitalization project had been put on hold because of a lack of funding from TDOT.
However, Thursday, the city of Memphis along with TDOT announced a funding reinstatement from the state agency.
The first quarter of 2025, Elvis Presley Blvd. should expect to have crews out on the street.
The road conditions have been a problem for decades. However, residents brought their concerns to us during our Let's Talk community listening session earlier this year.
Now the area has a green light for construction.
David Gross has lived in Whitehaven for more than 50 years and says for decades the condition of Elvis Presley Blvd. has been beyond tragic.
“You’re hitting a bump here, you’re hitting a bump there," Gross said. "You’re hitting a pothole here or some uneven leverage there on the pavement.”
Gross was in attendance at our ABC24 Let’s Talk Session in Whitehaven recently, and voiced his concerns about the dangerous driving conditions on Elvis Presley.
Thursday the City of Memphis along with the city's regional metropolitan planning organization announced the reinstatement of nearly $9 million for phase 2 of the streetscape improvement, which they say will create critical infrastructure improvements along Elvis Presley from Winchester road to craft road.
A move that's been in the making for years.
Memphis City Council Woman, Pearl Walker, who represents the area said this announcement is critical for the renaissance of Whitehaven.
“I was so excited and I just couldn’t believe it,” Walker said. “I’m excited for the citizens of Memphis, especially Whitehaven, the tourists, and everyone that has a relationship with that part of the city.”
TDOT is footing the nearly $9 million dollar bill and we are told will contract crews to finish the project which is expected to start sometime early next year.
David Gross says, “We’ve been waiting for this for some years. It’s been delayed and as we say in the community a lot of times delayed is a denial.”
We reached out to TDOT requesting information as to why funding was originally taken away from this project effectively halting it in its tracks. We also asked where in their budget is this nearly $9 million coming from, and we have yet to hear back.