Memphis road conditions frustrate locals and tourists

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Dilapidated, rutted, and full of potholes. That's how many of you have described the conditions on some of Memphis' main roads.

You've been contacting WREG Investigators to find out what is being done to fix them.

"Right there on the underpass, next to Crosstown Concourse, it's bumpy and uneven pavement," George Abraham said as he pointed at North Parkway.

TDOT announces paving plan for Shelby County roads, interstates

It's not a site the tour guide wants to show off.

We have millions of visitors coming into town and seeing this city," he said. "They mention the road conditions. That they're in rough shape, and they need to be repaired and taken care of. It doesn't give a very good impression.

When you meet Abraham, he's the first to tell you he's a proud, lifelong Memphian. It's why he opened a transportation and tour business.

"I love the city's architecture and its people," he said.

But there's something he just can't get behind.

"I wish they would give more priority to getting the infrastructure and getting the streets, the main streets, fixed up," Abraham said.

Which roads are the worst?

He said it's embarrassing to take tourists along some of the city's roads. We met him on North Parkway, so he could show us why.

The major thoroughfare gets you from Midtown to Downtown to places like St. Jude and Crosstown. Abraham said the road conditions here are some of the worst he's seen, as well as parts of Airways.

"But most important of them all is Plough Boulevard. That's where millions of people see the city and get an impression of the city from coming in from the airport," he said.

Other drivers reached out, frustrated over the same streets Abraham mentioned. Phillip Braden is particularly irritated with Plough.

All of those areas are in need of repair," he said. "There are some things you can take care of. Roads seem like something you can take care of.

We saw bumps from all of the patched potholes and cracks when we drove over Plough. It was an especially uneven ride on the overpass.

What is being done?

Last month, Memphis Public Works explained to council members that they prioritize paving city streets with the worst conditions and high traffic counts.

They further explained to WREG Investigators that this part of Plough Road is on their list to be redeveloped.

The project design is 60% complete. The Transportation Policy Board is set to approve the plan in November. They'll need to finish the design and Right-of-Way acquisition, so construction should begin around 2028, depending on the availability of funds.

As for the other roads mentioned, they are or parts of them are state routes, so we contacted the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Days later, they announced an update on their paving plan that has been in the works.

It's a big chunk of money and a large amount of lane miles," said Nichole Lawrence. "In the next two to three years, Memphis' interstates and state routes will be in great shape.

She is with TDOT. She shared a map explaining that they are investing more than $160 million to repave 400 lane miles within Memphis and Shelby County. That includes both interstates and state routes.

"We are catching up and getting some funds to be able to expedite some of these projects," Lawrence said.

North Parkway is one of those projects. It's now scheduled to be repaved next year. Part of Airways is also slated for 2026.

What happens until then?

Until the paving starts, Lawrence said they will continue to monitor the routes and patch any potholes they see or hear about.

Memphis Public Works echoed that. They say they will continue to check the stretch on Plough for potholes. They sent us pictures of their crews filling some on August 15th and September 9th.

I understand it takes. It takes time, but at least they're working on something," Abraham said. "I have had some near blowouts on my tires.

He stressed, though the band-aids only work for so long. He stressed his passion for his city and is hopeful he can focus on the sites that make it clear why.

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