The University of Memphis will be one of 22 schools nationally to receive a $10 million grant from the federal government to finance a new transportation program and pedestrian bridge on campus.
The U of M will use the grant to develop programs to address transportation issues on campus and throughout the community, as well as earthquake proof construction and national security concerns, said Kevin Roper, U of M executive assistant to the president.
“We will be able to look at several transportation issues throughout the community, from city intersections to the port of Memphis,” Roper said.
The U of M worked closely with Fed Ex to receive the federal grant in hopes that the transportation center will resolve key transportation issues within Fed Ex, such as air cargo transportation security and container design.
The University of Memphis will also look at its main campus when searching for transportation problems to study.
Congestion problems at the intersection of Patterson and Walker, and the railroad crossing on Southern Avenue will also be studied in hopes of relieving problems there, said Roper.
“We are going to be able to look at working through processing issues all over campus,” said Roper.
Roper said one possibility would be constructing an underpass at the Southern Avenue railroad crossing.
It would be an improvement that has been a long time coming, said education major Jessica White.
“I hate that train,” White said. “I think it’s great that The University of Memphis could help out the city with this new center, but if they could figure a way to stop students from getting delayed by the train that would be awesome.”
Easing congestion would also be a welcome improvement, said psychology major Joseph Williams.
“If you have a class around 10 a.m. it is a mad house getting in and out,” Williams said. “If a new plan could be made to help the traffic it would make me a lot happier.”
Although plans for an underpass are still forthcoming, The U of M will see a direct addition in the near future with the addition of a pedestrian walkway covering the distance from The Fogelman Executive Center on the south of Central Avenue and the Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality and Resort Management on the north side.
The planned walkway will use $3 million of the $10 million earmarked to The University, and will join two other walkways already planned to be constructed by the city of Memphis and The U of M.
Being chosen as one of the universities to receive the grant will also help attract other grants and corporate sponsors to The University, Roper said.
“My hope is to see an additional $10 million to $20 million in new research funding to The University,” Roper said.
Plans for the center, including its location, will be further determined with the return of the faculty in late August, Roper said.
Though it is still unsure exactly how much aid the transportation center will be able to provide overall to the city of Memphis, Roper said the city deserves the potential to improve.
“Memphis is the logistics capital of the world,” he said. “We deserve to see improvements.”
