There has been big news about biking in Memphis over the past couple weeks. On July 5th, The Commercial Appeal broke the news that Memphis did not submit bicycle plans as part of a federally funded repaving project. Despite this setback, Mayor Wharton thankfully announced on July 6 that both Southern Avenue and Cooper Street will be repaved with bike lanes. Mayor Wharton was clear in the fact that this great movement is simply the beginning in a larger movement to make Memphis more bicycle-friendly. In addition, he announced that the search for a full-time Bike/Pedestrian Coordinator is currently underway. Jointly funded between the city of Memphis and the Memphis Metropolitan Planning Organization, this position will facilitate the implementation of bicycle and pedestrian projects, programs, and policies.
Mayor Wharton has also introduced the 2010-2011 Bicycle Facilities Program to make use of redirected operating funds from the City Engineer’s budget for 55 new miles of bike lanes. The project begins today- Horn Lake road is in the process of being striped with bike lanes. The remaining miles of lanes will be located all around the city- the mayor’s blog contains complete details.
All of this bike news has spurred conversation throughout the community. Websites and blogs are highlighting the news and the comments sections are blowing up with interest. When the news hit that Memphis did not include bike lanes in the federal grant, blogs such as John Carroll’s Blog were in outrage, while some blogs like Got to Be Gritty cheered at the news of the new coordination position. News outlets like My Eyewitness News, The Commercial Appeal, The Daily News, The Memphis Flyer, and News Channel 3 have covered the progress.
What do you think about the all the recent Memphis bike news?
