Section of Southern Ave. closed until next month

The University of Memphis parking garage and pedestrian bridge are being built on Southern Avenue to alleviate students’ issue of being stopped by the train while they are trying to get to class. 

The construction is near completion, but in the meantime, the section of Southern Avenue between Houston Street and Goodwin Street as well as and the section of Echles Street between Spottswood and Southern will be closed and will remain closed until the bridge is completed.

Associate Vice President for Campus Planning and Design Tony Poteet said the crews will be welding, pouring concrete and installing suspension cables over the next several weeks.

Junior Hailey Hanson said she sympathizes for those who are affected by the temporary closing.

“I get how it would affect others, but it’s usually too busy anyway, so I avoid it,†Hanson said. “It does not bother me though because I never take that route.â€

The section of Southern Avenue was initially closed Feb. 11 and is expected to remain closed until late March.

Sophomore Wilson Vaughn said he is not affected by the completion of the bridge, but Southern Avenue’s closing is somewhat of an inconvenience.

“I am pretty indifferent about the bridge almost being done,†Vaughn said. “But I am mildly annoyed that I cannot use the road.â€

Vaughn also said he does not think the Memphis construction crews should stop once this specific project is completed.

“Most of the roads here are kind of bad,†Vaughn said. “I would personally like them to be repaved in the near future, but that is just me. We deserve better roads.â€

Freshman Kayla Halston said she sees the pros and cons of the road’s closing.

“It is cool if they are doing it just to be cautious,†Halston said. “But it is a major inconvenience considering that Memphians are not the best drivers as is.â€