MEMPHIS, Tenn — Today, Riverside Drive will finally reopen to traffic for the first time in almost nine months.
The City of Memphis made the announcement Thursday.
When the section of road was shutdown between Georgia Avenue and Union Avenue for Tom Lee Park renovations, the expectation was it would open sometime in July. However, the road is now opening Monday.
The road will close on weekends though.
“We assumed it would be open tomorrow from then on,” Memphis resident Jon Keith said on Sunday. “We didn’t know they’d close it back down on the weekends again. Doesn't make much sense.”
Riverside will reopen at 5 a.m. Monday and stay open during the week until 7 p.m. on Fridays. Then, from Friday nights at 7 p.m. until 5 p.m. in the morning on Mondays, the section of road will be closed again.
Memphis River Parks Partnership board member Van Turner said the reason is to protect pedestrians.
“We want to make sure individuals who want to enjoy the park can do so without the threat of someone speeding down Riverside Drive and possibly hitting them or their family members,” he said.
Jon and his wife Susan Keith would love to get back to visiting Tom Lee Park on a regular basis, but they said the city is not making it easy.
“It’s confusing to say the least,” Susan said, “especially considering how much money they just spent on giving everybody access, and yet, not giving everybody access.”
Turner called the reopening and weekend closure a compromise and said they could eventually keep that section of Riverside open for good, but added that they’ll have to wait and see.
“There’s space for a walkway for individuals to get to and from the park overhead, and perhaps that’s a good investment for the city on down the road,” he said.
Turner said this decision is the result of the city and Memphis River Parks Partnership working together.
When asked about the lack of parking around Riverside Drive, Turner said that is still something that has to be worked on.