Bridge construction raises questions about park access
A new hedge and thick brush in Crump Park’s border with the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge makes talks of past surrounding pedestrian paths hard to envision. (Bill Dries/Daily Memphian)
Two city parks on the Memphis riverfront’s south end — on either side of the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge and the Big River Crossing — will be connected via a pedestrian walkway.
The Interstate 55 roundabout on the Memphis side of the I-55 Bridge is under construction and plans for a pedestrian route between Martyrs Park, where the pedestrian walkway along the river currently ends, and Crump Park, a tiny park next to the I-55 bridge, are underway.
Amidst the construction, a series of underpasses, overpasses and ramps are being either remade or replaced.
Nichole Lawrence, Tennessee Department of Transportation’s regional communications officer, said sidewalks that go under the ramps, which separate traffic staying on Interstate 55 from local traffic on E.H. Crump Boulevard, will connect the parks for pedestrians and cyclists.
Topics
Memphis-Arkansas Bridge America's River Crossing Nichole Lawrence Nick Walker Crump Park Martyrs Park Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
Subscribers to The Daily Memphian help fund our not-for-profit newsroom of nearly 40 local journalists plus more than 20 freelancers, all of whom work around the clock to cover the issues impacting our community. Subscriptions - and donations - also help fund our community access programs which provide free access to K-12 schools, community organizations, and more. Thank you for making our work possible.
Bill Dries on demand
Never miss an article. Sign up to receive Bill Dries' stories as they’re published.
Enter your e-mail address
Bill Dries
Bill Dries covers city and county government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for more than 40 years.
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.