https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources & Events
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources/Events
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers/eBooks
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Magazine
acc.com

Public Works & Utilities


STREETS & HIGHWAYS/Memphis re-greens its beloved parkways

STREETS & HIGHWAYS/Memphis re-greens its beloved parkways

Established in 1902 as a system of boulevards surrounding midtown and downtown Memphis, Tenn., the broad, leafy Parkways provided the city with streetscapes
  • Written by American City & County Administrator
  • 1st December 2001

Established in 1902 as a system of boulevards surrounding midtown and downtown Memphis, Tenn., the broad, leafy Parkways provided the city with streetscapes that were both practical and aesthetically appealing. Today, the Parkways are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Originally created for horse-and-buggy traffic, the Parkways have withstood heavy use by automobiles. However, a street median is a stressful location for trees. Air pollution, noise, heat, drought and other hardships had taken a toll on the trees lining the Parkways’ medians, leaving them looking unkempt and neglected. Additionally, years of deferred maintenance had left many trees dead or dying, and gaps existed where trees had been removed and not replaced.

The Parkways restoration was identified as a key item in the city’s Park Services Facilities Master Plan, which was completed in 1999. Phase I of the restoration included development and implementation of a comprehensive tree maintenance plan and shade tree planting for the 7.5-mile central median. A second phase, involving improvements to a drainage channel, is under way.

During Phase I, every tree on the Parkways’ medians was evaluated by a licensed arborist and by Park Services personnel to determine species and condition. A series of aerial maps indicated the location of each tree.

During the project, 20 percent of the canopy was removed because trees were dead or diseased. Trees also were pruned, and more than 300 healthy shade trees — all native species — were planted. A one-year maintenance contract now is in effect.

The project was financed through a $324,000 Enhancement Grant from the state Department of Transportation and $81,000 in matching funds from the city. The city’s Division of Park Services recently announced receipt of a $400,000 grant from the state DOT to continue work on the Parkways. The project received the Anona Stoner Award from Memphis Heritage for preservation of an historic landscape and the Historic Restoration Award from the Memphis City Beautiful Commission.

Tags: Public Works & Utilities

Most Recent


  • sustainability
    Residents ask government leaders to show measurable sustainability results and triumphs
    There’s a growing urgency for cities and counties to go green, says Sol Salinas, executive vice president, sustainability lead at Capgemini Americas, a service-based company that provides consulting, digital transformation and outsourcing services to many organizations, including government agencies. It partners with organizations to transform and manage their operations by harnessing the power of technology. […]
  • Amid spike, federal transportation department launches initiative to curb traffic-related deaths
    While stay-at-home orders might be a thing of the past, the pandemic’s impact is still felt daily through expectations to socially distance, the prevalence of masks in high risk areas like hospitals, and the stubbornly high annual rate of traffic-related deaths. Traffic fatalities hit a 16-year high in 2021, and preliminary data points to a […]
  • New York mayor announces city-wide curbside composting program, impacting 8.5 million residents by 2024
    On the heels of a successful 3-month-long pilot program in Queens, New York City has announced the largest curbside composting program in the United States. The initiative will begin following a winter-long hiatus of the Queens pilot, which is set to return permanently March 27. Curbside service to Brooklyn will begin Oct. 2, followed by the […]
  • Phoenix
    Federal funds help fast-growing Arizona city address several infrastructure challenges and needs
    Joe Giudice, public works director for the city of Phoenix, says the influx of new residents is driving a lot of construction in his community. “Phoenix is the fifth largest city in the United States. It is one of the fastest growing cities in a fast-growing region, which influences infrastructure product and service demand. This […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • How local governments can get ahead of the infrastructure wave: Strategies to mitigate risk
  • Prioritizing rapid restore leads to stronger ransomware attack recovery
  • Ultrafast electric vehicle charging will propel local governments into the future
  • The Colonial Pipeline attack: What it means for critical infrastructure, and why businesses need to have a plan in place

White papers


Modernizing government services for today’s resident expectations

24th January 2023

Preparing Your Community Now for the Next Generation of Older Adults

18th October 2022

Helping Government Fleets Achieve Their Goals

30th September 2022
view all

Webinars


Future-proof Your State and Local Government Finance: 5 Key Trends for 2023

6th February 2023

How To: Evaluate Digital Government Service Delivery Technologies

23rd January 2023

Using Technology to Enhance Communications

29th November 2022
view all

PODCAST


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

GALLERIES


25 of the best city flags flying over American metros and towns

7th February 2023

These 10 American cities are well prepared for a tech-based future

1st February 2023

Report: While remote work is causing offices to empty out, walkable cities are still in high demand

26th January 2023
view all

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

NYC wants to convert unused offices into housing units through relaxed regulations, incentivization dlvr.it/Sj7ls5

8th February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Tuning into your community: Top reasons why your agency needs a podcast dlvr.it/Sj7578

8th February 2023
AmerCityCounty

25 of the best city flags flying over American metros and towns dlvr.it/Sj2RyK

7th February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Residents ask government leaders to show measurable sustainability results and triumphs dlvr.it/Sj1znw

6th February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Future-proof Your State and Local Government Finance: 5 Key Trends for 2023 dlvr.it/Sj1KxB

6th February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Amid spike, federal transportation department launches initiative to curb traffic-related deaths dlvr.it/Shvs31

3rd February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Engaging businesses to strengthen your community dlvr.it/ShvZn0

3rd February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Report: Some public employees face financial hardship; comprehensive pay packages proved ‘a pathway toward economic… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

2nd February 2023

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.