I-69

[Bears]

I've heard this interstate is planned to be 4 lanes in each direction. Here's an article about the discussion on whether this interstate should enter Memphis thru Millington or Arlington. http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/local/...4529429,00.html

Most people, myself included seem to agree this interstate should just go down Hwy 51 but apparently there has been some talk it should connect to the east end of 385 instead. I didn't know Millington had the states 3rd largest airport. Which airport is he refering too? Charles Baker or Millington Municpal? I also find it intresting that I-69 will go down W. Tennessee parralel to I-55 over in Eastern Arkansas. How will Dyersburg be affected? I-155 in Dyersburg is the only bridge over the Mississippi River between Memphis and Cairo, KY.

[Rural King]

I have not left for Florida yet (going tomorrow -Sat.), so this is my imput for the week on this topic. LOL Being the local I have plenty to say on this. :-)

I-69 will have a huge impact of Dyersburg and Union City. Both cities and their respective counties are being proactive in trying to lure industrial and economic expansion to their areas and have a decent pool of skill labor in their immediate areas and in areas with-in commuting distance.

Dyersburg will benefit from having both I-155 and I-69 access (2 interstates are much better than one of course), along with having access to US 412 which links up with I-40 at Jackson, a good airport, and a very aggressive and successful industrial/economic recruitment record. I would say Dyersburg will be primed to see major growth once I-69 is completed.

Union City will of course benefit from gaining interstate access with I-69, which in conjuction with its existing TN 22 access (which gives it closed access to Martin with its workforce and UT-Martin academic resoruces), and having a soon to be designated regional airport with 7000 ft runways; will provide Union City and Obion IMO a great ability to attract more industry to the county. It has been aggressively trying to do so recently, and just opened a new 500 acre Industrial Park next to the Goodyear Industrial Park which should come into play shortly.

I think I-69 will benefit greatly the Union City/Martin area, and Dyersburg area, I would think they both have key advantages over other cities along the route in TN, KY, etc. Which one will do better is really undeterminable at this point, but I would say keep an eye out on both in the coming 10-20 years they may be the next hot spots for growth if some major industrial concerns come in and take advantage of what they have to offer. Thats my hope at least.

[Fellowmann20]

I think that I-69 should go by Millington. Like the mayor of Arlington said, "We've already got Paul Barret Parkway and the Interstate (40)." Anyway the cops for those little towns along Highway51 won't have to deal with all the speeders because they will be on I-69.

Bears: I think the airport they are refering to is Millington Municipal. They Navy was using it until it was shut down in the 90s, I think, and now Millington uses it. So anyway its main runway can land a C-5 Galaxy (The largest plane by far in the Airforce).

[woob]

I think that I-69 should go by Millington. Like the mayor of Arlington said, "We've already got Paul Barret Parkway and the Interstate (40)." Anyway the cops for those little towns along Highway51 won't have to deal with all the speeders because they will be on I-69.

Bears: I think the airport they are refering to is Millington Municipal. They Navy was using it until it was shut down in the 90s, I think, and now Millington uses it. So anyway its main runway can land a C-5 Galaxy (The largest plane by far in the Airforce).

Shreveporter here looking foward to being able to drive to Memphis a lot easier!!!!

[Bears]

Shreveporter here looking foward to being able to drive to Memphis a lot easier!!!!

Yeah, we always needed a direct route all the way to Houston. Just expect a pretty boring drive though. Other than crossing the Mississippi River, its not very scenic IMO. I think they should extend I-22 all the way to Kansas City thru Jonesboro and Branson. West TN/East AR interstate access should be much better than it is. My proposal would be I-22 to stop at I-269 and then come of I-55 in Arkansas and follow US 63 to Jonesboro.

[Clobber]

Yeah, we always needed a direct route all the way to Houston. Just expect a pretty boring drive though. Other than crossing the Mississippi River, its not very scenic IMO. I think they should extend I-22 all the way to Kansas City thru Jonesboro and Branson. West TN/East AR interstate access should be much better than it is. My proposal would be I-22 to stop at I-269 and then come of I-55 in Arkansas and follow US 63 to Jonesboro.

I don't know, they really need to do something about the I40/I55 bottleneck in W Memphis as it is. Adding traffic from I22 to that little part might not be possible. I don't know if widening it is possible. Maybe adding a third bridge over the river near downtown or something. Where I40 and I55 overlap in Arkansas is hel! to drive through.

[ricky_the_great]

I don't know, they really need to do something about the I40/I55 bottleneck in W Memphis as it is. Adding traffic from I22 to that little part might not be possible. I don't know if widening it is possible. Maybe adding a third bridge over the river near downtown or something. Where I40 and I55 overlap in Arkansas is hel! to drive through.

there are already 4 bridges running through downtown... i dont know if they have the space to run it through downtown.

[Bears]

Maybe a bridge in Tunica can continue I-22, go around west of West Memphis and then then continue to KC? I also thought regional rail between Memphis and Little Rock would be a good idea. Traffic is pretty heavy and intimidating because your basically surrounded by big rigs.

[sleepy]

I suspect if a new bridge were built, it would cross over the river at Millington, connecting any proposed I-22 to the I-269 loop as well as to I-55. This would seem to alleviate any congestion problems associated with running I-22 directly into the I-55/I-40 West Memphis interchange.

[Bears]

I suspect if a new bridge were built, it would cross over the river at Millington, connecting any proposed I-22 to the I-269 loop as well as to I-55. This would seem to alleviate any congestion problems associated with running I-22 directly into the I-55/I-40 West Memphis interchange.

Well why not both places? Tunica is growing into its own market so I think it'll need its own bridge and I-40 is closest one it could juction with.

[sleepy]

Well why not both places? Tunica is growing into its own market so I think it'll need its own bridge and I-40 is closest one it could juction with.

That sounds fine too. Just that I think if one bridge is going to be built, there would be a lot less building to do on the Millington route. The Tunica route would have to have a road built on the south side of West Memphis and then angling north to connect with I-40 on the west side of West Memphis and then I-55 somewhere on the north side.

A Millington bridge would just go a couple of miles to I-55.

[Clobber]

there are already 4 bridges running through downtown... i dont know if they have the space to run it through downtown.

Yeah but only two transport vehicles. But you're right, we would need to figure out location of the bridge. Maybe downtown wouldn't work, but in the vicinity. I know they were already considering that anyway, with one bridge south of downtown and one north, but I speculate the locations they're considering are one in northern Shelby Cty and the other southern Shelby/north MS.

[Rural King]

I think a bridge at Millington makes a lot of sense from the perspective of logistics and cost, as sleepy said it would be easy to link a bridge up to the current well developed road grid.

[TennBear]

I think a bridge at Millington makes a lot of sense from the perspective of logistics and cost, as sleepy said it would be easy to link a bridge up to the current well developed road grid.

Rural King, I agree that Millington would make sense. The other place that I think would make sense is across Presidents Island. It would tie into the Memphis Harbor and the Railroad Yard and could continue into Mississippi to tie into I69 to the south. That gives a direct link between the Rail Yard in Arkansas and the one in Memphis, gets a lot of truck traffic off the old bridge and moves it to another bridge. It also clears up the mess at South Parkway to get to Presidents Island. Since the new bridge is also going to carry rail, it will also tie that in as well.

[Rural King]

^ That also sounds like a good logistical spot to build the bridge, and one that might spur on some extra economic/industrial activity for that part of the city. How easy would it be to tie in the bridge to the road grid there compared to Millington and would it cost anymore to build it there? Any ideas anyone?

[sleepy]

^ That also sounds like a good logistical spot to build the bridge, and one that might spur on some extra economic/industrial activity for that part of the city. How easy would it be to tie in the bridge to the road grid there compared to Millington and would it cost anymore to build it there? Any ideas anyone?

On the TN side, it seems to me that building a bridge over Presidents Island that connects with I-55--which will be double-signed with I-69 until Hernando--would require slicing through huge hunks of highly developed areas of Whitehaven and/or Southaven.

On the AR side, you'd have to build a large loop around West Memphis so it would connect with I-40 and I-55 on the north.

[TennBear]

On the TN side, it seems to me that building a bridge over Presidents Island that connects with I-55--which will be double-signed with I-69 until Hernando--would require slicing through huge hunks of highly developed areas of Whitehaven and/or Southaven.

On the AR side, you'd have to build a large loop around West Memphis so it would connect with I-40 and I-55 on the north.

Sleepy, I don't think that you understood where I was referring to. I was saying that the bridge should come across onto Presidents Island at the west end, have an exit that connects to Harbor Rd for access to the Harbor Project; cross the harbor cut into Enzley Bottoms near the Steam Plant, It could have an exit at Steam Plant Rd and the future extension of Mitchell Rd and Shelby Dr. There could be an upgrade to Riverport Rd to make it Interstate class and connect back into the I55/I240 Loop. The highway would continue south where it could either go between Horn Lake and North Horn Lake or come into Third Street at State Line. Either way it could continue down at or near Highway 61/ or Higway 61 could be upgraded to Interstate status. Where it would connect into I69 would be where I69 comes over to the casinos. On the Arkansas side you would connect into I55 and I40 East of West Memphis. Think due North -South near the Allen Steam Plant for the route through Arkansas and Tennessee.

[Clobber]

Sleepy, I don't think that you understood where I was referring to. I was saying that the bridge should come across onto Presidents Island at the west end, have an exit that connects to Harbor Rd for access to the Harbor Project; cross the harbor cut into Enzley Bottoms near the Steam Plant, It could have an exit at Steam Plant Rd and the future extension of Mitchell Rd and Shelby Dr. There could be an upgrade to Riverport Rd to make it Interstate class and connect back into the I55/I240 Loop. The highway would continue south where it could either go between Horn Lake and North Horn Lake or come into Third Street at State Line. Either way it could continue down at or near Highway 61/ or Higway 61 could be upgraded to Interstate status. Where it would connect into I69 would be where I69 comes over to the casinos. On the Arkansas side you would connect into I55 and I40 East of West Memphis. Think due North -South near the Allen Steam Plant for the route through Arkansas and Tennessee.

It might require adjustments to the roads on the island to accomodate heavier traffic, and limited access (if that's what is desired). I like the idea, but I don't know how you would want to balance convenience/speed of a limited access road and the convenience and access to businesses on the island. I don't think that with such a major river crossing that you could have a regular road that crosses the river. I think that it would have to be some kind of highway. So then you have to consider how you upgrade it while maintaining maximum access (especially for large-load vehicles and trucks), maintaining speeds (avoid cloverleafs), and respecting the wetlands that are around there. It's certainly doable, though, and if done right, could bolster the area, maybe trigger aesthetic improvements to the area.

[soverbey]

Edited out due to formatting.

[HKG]

It might require adjustments to the roads on the island to accomodate heavier traffic, and limited access (if that's what is desired). I like the idea, but I don't know how you would want to balance convenience/speed of a limited access road and the convenience and access to businesses on the island. I don't think that with such a major river crossing that you could have a regular road that crosses the river. I think that it would have to be some kind of highway. So then you have to consider how you upgrade it while maintaining maximum access (especially for large-load vehicles and trucks), maintaining speeds (avoid cloverleafs), and respecting the wetlands that are around there. It's certainly doable, though, and if done right, could bolster the area, maybe trigger aesthetic improvements to the area.

What good are wetlands on Presidents' Island? That place is a perfect place for (1) new residential development or (2) a nice size landfill. I'd personally like to see it go completely residential as it is bigger and better than mud island ever was. However, several factories still load ship on the port there, so nevermind my wishes when business is still good.

[cdarr]

What good are wetlands on Presidents' Island? That place is a perfect place for (1) new residential development or (2) a nice size landfill. I'd personally like to see it go completely residential as it is bigger and better than mud island ever was. However, several factories still load ship on the port there, so nevermind my wishes when business is still good.

Keep in mind that everything on Presidents Island except the current industrial area is floodplain, and thus remains susceptible to flooding. The industrial area was made possible in the late 1940s/early 1950s by basically cutting a harbor channel through the southeast corner of the island, and throwing all the fill up onto the land. The industrial district sits about 30 feet higher than the rest of the island. All that remaining land could be developed, but I'm not sure if they could dredge up that much fill out of the Mississippi. This would be a Netherlands-style reclamation project in which an area the size of the city of West Memphis would have to be raised 30 feet!

[ricky_the_great]

What good are wetlands on Presidents' Island? That place is a perfect place for (1) new residential development or (2) a nice size landfill. I'd personally like to see it go completely residential as it is bigger and better than mud island ever was. However, several factories still load ship on the port there, so nevermind my wishes when business is still good.

presidents island, the western part of it, if i remember correcty is very very easy to flood. landfill wont work, Enviromental engineering courses land fill will be partially underground and the bottom layers of the landfill wont maintain integrety for 500 years as most are designed to do. especially with the proximity to the river, one bad flood and you could have the river running over the landfill, and im sure New orleans, baton rouge and everyone else down stream wouldnt appreciate that.

[tatersmith]

What good are wetlands on Presidents' Island? That place is a perfect place for (1) new residential development or (2) a nice size landfill. I'd personally like to see it go completely residential as it is bigger and better than mud island ever was. However, several factories still load ship on the port there, so nevermind my wishes when business is still good.

Houses on President's Island? Have you ever been there?

[HKG]

Houses on President's Island? Have you ever been there?

Yes. This assumes complete demolition of all of the factories and reclaimation of the land. I didn't realize president's island was so susceptible to flooding, though.

[sleepy]

Yes. This assumes complete demolition of all of the factories and reclaimation of the land. I didn't realize president's island was so susceptible to flooding, though.

That's the port of Memphis. Where would it be relocated?