The City of Memphis, in coordination with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is proposing to extend Paul R. Lowry Road from its current terminus at the south end of the Port of Memphis’ Frank C. Pidgeon Industrial Park to Weaver Road or State Route (SR) 14 (US-61/South Third Street) in Shelby County, Tennessee.

The proposed project is sponsored by the Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County (EDGE) and the International Port of Memphis.

Paul R. Lowry Road, in the project area, is currently a two-lane facility (one travel lane in each direction) with 11-foot travel lanes and two-foot shoulders that terminates in the southeastern section of the Frank C. Pidgeon Industrial Park, just west of the Horn Lake Cutoff.

The field technicians will help determine the feasibility of roadway and neighborhood enhancements in Southwest Memphis. They are researching three potential options.

1. Connect Paul R. Lowry Rd. to Shelby Drive with improvements ending at Weaver. Improvements would include neighborhood enhancements such as sidewalks, decreased blight, and increased lighting.
2. Connect Paul R. Lowry Rd. to U.S. 61 (Third St.) through a new road South of Robco Lake, including neighborhood enhancements.
3. Do nothing.

The need for additional access to Frank C. Pidgeon Industrial Park was identified in 2016 by EDGE, the International Port of Memphis, the Industrial Development Board, and the City of Memphis.

To analyze existing project data and begin establishment of the purpose and need of the proposed project, a Transportation Investment Report (TIR) was developed and examined three improvement options.

The proposed project ranges from approximately 2.2 miles to 2.7 miles in length, depending on the alternative.

The proposed location of the Paul R. Lowry Road extension lies north of the Tennessee and Mississippi border in Shelby County, Tennessee. The proposed project is south of Shelby Drive and West of Weaver Road. Portions of the Westwood, Westwood Shores, and Coro Lake communities in South Memphis are within the project area. The proposed project is within the City of Memphis Westwood Planning District.

West of Horn Lake Cutoff, near the current terminus of Paul R. Lowry Road, land uses include industrial, agricultural, woodland, railroad, and utilities. East of Horn Lake Cutoff, land use is primarily single family residential with some park and open space use along Shelby Drive. The Memphis Light, Gas, and Water (MLGW) Justin J. Davis Pumping Station and Water Treatment facility is located on the north side of Shelby Drive just west of the CN railroad. Dalstrom Park is located within the southeast corner of the Shelby Drive and Weaver Road intersection. Several lakes and a number of wetlands are also located in the project area. A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) mitigation site is located adjacent to the southeastern boundary of the Frank C. Pidgeon Industrial Park and a National Priorities List (NPL) equivalent site is located west of SR-14 (US-61/South Third Street) near the terminus of Build Alternative 2. The NPL equivalent site is currently being remediated.

Multimodal freight facilities exist within, and immediately adjacent to the industrial park. They include the Frank C. Pidgeon Port and Harbor, the CN and CSX Memphis railyard, CN intermodal facility, and the port facilities operated by the USACE at Ensley Yard. Roadway access to the industrial park is currently only available through Riverport Road in the northeastern corner of the park.

Paul R. Lowry Road is classified as an urban minor arterial roadway and currently ends in a cul-de-sac in the southeast corner of the Frank C. Pidgeon Industrial Park. Shelby Drive in the project area is currently an unimproved two-lane facility (one travel lane in each direction) with 11-foot travel lanes and 0-to 2-foot shoulders. It is a residential street with homes on both sides of the road. SR-14 (US-61/South Third Street) is classified as an urban other principal arterial1. SR-14 (US-61/South Third Street transitions from a four-lane divided roadway to a four-lane roadway just north of the Mississippi/Tennessee state line.

Yes. The project has been studied and reviewed by experts and discussed with residents. Resident engagement has happened through surveys, community meetings, hearings, and more. Further, residents can remain updated on the project progress on this website.

It’s too early to tell if any properties will be directly affected if a construction project is approved. Also, it would take several years before construction begins.

The decision would be based on the following criteria not necessarily listed in order or priority:

The design team will consider all the information obtained from environmental studies (including air and noise quality studies), costs, potential economic benefits for the community, public meetings, and community involvement to recommend the best and most effective alternate.  It would then be submitted to the Mayor for approval.  If approved it would be submitted to TDOT/State for concurrence.