Environmental and community advocates want an end to a project to extend Paul R. Lowry Road.
This news comes as city officials paused progress on the plan while they examine if an extension is still needed. A statement from the city Thursday said they are “reassessing” whether the project, which was proposed in 2017, is the “right solution for Southwest Memphis.
“We are going to pause listen, and take a fresh look at the need and every potential solution, including whether the project should move forward at all,” Young said in the statement.
Young said the city will work with residents and state and federal partners to reexamine the purpose of the project, “review current conditions, and determine whether additional study is warranted.” The city is open to different approaches and will consider revisiting the project, other solutions, or closing the proposal.
Environmental advocacy group Memphis Community Against Pollution (MCAP) called for a stop to the project saying it would “destroy forests and disrupt communities.” MCAP advocate Oceana R. Gilliam called for a “full cancellation” of the project, as opposed to delaying it. She said it was “great news” that the city decided to pause the plan, yet it isn’t enough.
“The truth is that this project would include the taking of private property, the destruction of our forests, wetlands and lakes, impact our wildlife, potentially impact our drinking water, disturb a nearby cemetery that has been here for over a century, and so much more,” Gilliam said in a social media post.
Further, the project would benefit billionaire companies as opposed to Southwest Memphis residents, she said.
The proposal sought to create another access point to Frank C. Pigeon Industrial Park. Though alternatives were considered, the city said no route had been selected and construction had not been approved.
Improvements included connecting Paul R. Lowry Road to Shelby Drive with improvements ending at Weaver and connecting Paul R. Lowry Road to U.S. 61 (Third Street) through a new road South of Robco Lake.
Officials said the project was needed as there was no “secondary access to [and] from” the park in emergency situations. There were also transportation connectivity issues.
“Nearly 10 years have passed since the need for the project was first identified,” the city said in a statement. “During that time, conditions within the industrial park and the surrounding are have changed significantly.”
Memphis Mayor Paul Young said given the time since the project was first considered, the city needed to see if this plan was still pertinent. He noted that several things have changed around the area, and residents have voiced concerns regarding an extension.
“We recognize the importance of reliable access to the industrial park, particularly for emergency response,” Young said. “But we also have a responsibility to protect the health, safety, and quality of life of the people who already call Southwest Memphis home. We must do both.”
