Page 20 - Jan/Feb 2016 Vol.33 No.6
P. 20
MEMPHIS By Vaughn Cassidy
Memphis’ Bike Trails
From Overton Park to Downtown, Across the Mississippi to Arkansas!
In just five years, the City of Memphis Artist Tylur French created this unique sculpture using over 300 bikes, wheelchairs and other wheeled
has transitioned from being one of the devices. –Photo courtesy of Youngblood Studios
least bicycle-friendly cities in the coun-
try to being one of the most. From 2010 and areas of interest for social equity. grown to include an initiative to create
to 2015, Memphis more than doubled “More bicycling is an indicator of a parkway that extends the length of the
its miles of bike infrastructure, taking it Mississippi River.
from 62 miles to nearly 200. By 2016 that vibrancy and activity in cities like Mem-
number is expected to increase yet again phis,” said Memphis Mayor A. C. Whar- The Harahan Bridge project is not the
and reach almost 300 miles. ton, Jr. “As a mode of transportation, only new multi-use path in Memphis.
bicycling is a tool for economic empow- “The [new] Shelby Farms Greenline has
That level of infrastructure development erment and social equity. As a method opened up healthy mobility opportuni-
for a city the size of Memphis requires a of recreation, bicycling promotes public ties for new users and enthusiasts alike,”
committed government, partnerships with health and encourages tourism.” said Cort Percer, Mid-South Greenways
the community and, of course, a cham- Alliance coordinator. “Many people are
pion. That champion is Kyle Wagenschutz, Cyclist tourism has historically been discovering trails inside Shelby Farms and
now the City of Memphis Bikeway/Pedes- hindered because of the lack of a safe Lucius Birch Natural Area that have been
trian Program Manager with the Division and rideable bridge connecting Memphis there for a long time. The folks who have
of Engineering. “Since I started my job to Arkansas. Thanks to a unique new always ridden those trails now have the
in 2010, riding a bicycle in Memphis has project, all of that is about to change. The option of riding from their homes to the
changed dramatically,” says Wagenschutz. city held a groundbreaking ceremony for trails, instead of loading a bike onto the
“It’s not unusual at all now to see whole the Harahan Bridge Project in October car and driving there.” Bicycling on green-
families riding together on their way to a 2015. From 1917 to 1949 the bridge pro- ways can even provide routes to areas that
local park.” vided a railroad connection to downtown previously had no safe access for people
Memphis from Arkansas. Since then, who don’t have cars.
Wagenschutz sees more Memphians the bridge has sat abandoned. Now, the
taking advantage of the growing infra- City of Memphis and Crittenden County, These connections between greenways
structure dedicated to recreation and Arkansas, are progressing toward reopen- and parks are important. The most visited
non-motorized transportation. It has been ing the bridge for bicycle and pedestrian and recognizable part of the greenway
an amazing transition for a city that was traffic, with an anticipated opening in in Memphis is Overton Park, which also
named one of the worst cities for biking the fall. The project is significant because borders an economically distressed neigh-
in the country by Bicycling Magazine in there is no other bike crossing for 100 borhood to the east, providing residents
2008 and again in 2010. By 2012, that miles. It has even garnered attention with easy access to recreation. The new
same magazine named Memphis as the from National Geographic as part of the bicycle and pedestrian plaza at the East
most improved city for cycling nation- Big River Initiative, which started with Parkway entrance to Overton Park now
wide. Wagenschutz’s dedication, fueled by the Harahan Bridge project and has now has benches, water fountains, directional
a committed government and the energy
of community partners made the change
happen.
As a result of this strong partnership,
Shelby County Government was awarded
the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development Sustainable Commu-
nities Regional Planning Grant in 2012.
The $2.6 million grant was awarded for
the creation of Shelby County’s Mid-South
Regional Greenprint and Sustainability
Plan. The Plan was guided by more than
300 people, representing 82 organizations
from the tri-state area, and incorporated
public input from over 4,000 residents.
The Plan includes a network of over 500
miles of greenway trails and 200 miles of
on-road connectors linking the tri-state
region, including connections to green
spaces, employment centers, town centers,
20 TPW January/February 2016
Memphis’ Bike Trails
From Overton Park to Downtown, Across the Mississippi to Arkansas!
In just five years, the City of Memphis Artist Tylur French created this unique sculpture using over 300 bikes, wheelchairs and other wheeled
has transitioned from being one of the devices. –Photo courtesy of Youngblood Studios
least bicycle-friendly cities in the coun-
try to being one of the most. From 2010 and areas of interest for social equity. grown to include an initiative to create
to 2015, Memphis more than doubled “More bicycling is an indicator of a parkway that extends the length of the
its miles of bike infrastructure, taking it Mississippi River.
from 62 miles to nearly 200. By 2016 that vibrancy and activity in cities like Mem-
number is expected to increase yet again phis,” said Memphis Mayor A. C. Whar- The Harahan Bridge project is not the
and reach almost 300 miles. ton, Jr. “As a mode of transportation, only new multi-use path in Memphis.
bicycling is a tool for economic empow- “The [new] Shelby Farms Greenline has
That level of infrastructure development erment and social equity. As a method opened up healthy mobility opportuni-
for a city the size of Memphis requires a of recreation, bicycling promotes public ties for new users and enthusiasts alike,”
committed government, partnerships with health and encourages tourism.” said Cort Percer, Mid-South Greenways
the community and, of course, a cham- Alliance coordinator. “Many people are
pion. That champion is Kyle Wagenschutz, Cyclist tourism has historically been discovering trails inside Shelby Farms and
now the City of Memphis Bikeway/Pedes- hindered because of the lack of a safe Lucius Birch Natural Area that have been
trian Program Manager with the Division and rideable bridge connecting Memphis there for a long time. The folks who have
of Engineering. “Since I started my job to Arkansas. Thanks to a unique new always ridden those trails now have the
in 2010, riding a bicycle in Memphis has project, all of that is about to change. The option of riding from their homes to the
changed dramatically,” says Wagenschutz. city held a groundbreaking ceremony for trails, instead of loading a bike onto the
“It’s not unusual at all now to see whole the Harahan Bridge Project in October car and driving there.” Bicycling on green-
families riding together on their way to a 2015. From 1917 to 1949 the bridge pro- ways can even provide routes to areas that
local park.” vided a railroad connection to downtown previously had no safe access for people
Memphis from Arkansas. Since then, who don’t have cars.
Wagenschutz sees more Memphians the bridge has sat abandoned. Now, the
taking advantage of the growing infra- City of Memphis and Crittenden County, These connections between greenways
structure dedicated to recreation and Arkansas, are progressing toward reopen- and parks are important. The most visited
non-motorized transportation. It has been ing the bridge for bicycle and pedestrian and recognizable part of the greenway
an amazing transition for a city that was traffic, with an anticipated opening in in Memphis is Overton Park, which also
named one of the worst cities for biking the fall. The project is significant because borders an economically distressed neigh-
in the country by Bicycling Magazine in there is no other bike crossing for 100 borhood to the east, providing residents
2008 and again in 2010. By 2012, that miles. It has even garnered attention with easy access to recreation. The new
same magazine named Memphis as the from National Geographic as part of the bicycle and pedestrian plaza at the East
most improved city for cycling nation- Big River Initiative, which started with Parkway entrance to Overton Park now
wide. Wagenschutz’s dedication, fueled by the Harahan Bridge project and has now has benches, water fountains, directional
a committed government and the energy
of community partners made the change
happen.
As a result of this strong partnership,
Shelby County Government was awarded
the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development Sustainable Commu-
nities Regional Planning Grant in 2012.
The $2.6 million grant was awarded for
the creation of Shelby County’s Mid-South
Regional Greenprint and Sustainability
Plan. The Plan was guided by more than
300 people, representing 82 organizations
from the tri-state area, and incorporated
public input from over 4,000 residents.
The Plan includes a network of over 500
miles of greenway trails and 200 miles of
on-road connectors linking the tri-state
region, including connections to green
spaces, employment centers, town centers,
20 TPW January/February 2016
