Streetscape Improvements
MMDC and its partners are focused on streetscape improvements that create a safer and more attractive environment for everyone who visits, lives, works, or studies in the District whether they get here by bike, on foot, using public transit, or driving. Our organization wants the quality of our public spaces to match the quality of the hospital and university campuses throughout the District. With MMDC’s innovative approach, we have proven that a big difference can happen pretty quickly without spending millions of dollars.
MMDC's first streetscape improvement projects were born out of a collaborative process of listening and getting feedback from partners, employees, students, neighborhood residents, business owners, and others. From this process, a playbook of ideas for improving public spaces emerged with concepts for public art and activation, the addition of street furniture and simple landscaping, and pedestrian and bike enhancements to the design of the streets.
Learn more by clicking a project below:
Medical District Streetscape Lookbook
In 2020-21, MMDC partnered with Toole Design, a nationally recognized design firm with expertise in landscape architecture, planning, and urban design, and Creative Punch, a local full-service design & branding studio, to develop new concepts to guide our future streetscape investments in the Medical District. This process included a series of stakeholder meetings made up of representatives from MMDC's anchor institutions, district neighborhoods, city engineering, and community partners. The resulting Streetscape Lookbook delivers a collection of innovative design concepts that prioritize safety, multi-modal accessibility and connectivity. The Lookbook challenges us to rethink our approach to street design, providing illustrative, site-specific recommendations for a public realm centered on people. The projects outlined in this Lookbook are concepts which will determine our planning for the coming years.
UPCOMING PROJECT: MADISON AVENUE
2021-2023
In partnership with The City of Memphis and Downtown Memphis Commission (DMC), MMDC is working on the redesign and resurfacing of Madison Avenue from Pauline Street to Cleveland Street as part of a larger corridor improvement plan for the street.
In 2021, MMDC held community engagement events at various Medical District and Downtown locations along the corridor as well as a virtual public meeting to collect public feedback on the proposed changes. The streetscape improvements to Madison Avenue will provide safety and mobility improvements for all users along this important corridor, whether walking, bicycling, accessing public transit, or driving.
MLK AVENUE
Project Completed in 2019
The MLK Avenue Streetscape project is MMDC’s third phase of streetscape enhancement projects implemented in partnership with the City of Memphis. The MLK project corridor runs from Peabody Avenue to Danny Thomas Boulevard and continues to Fourth Street in Downtown Memphis, thanks to a partnership with the Downtown Memphis Commission.
The streetscape enhancement project creates a safer and more accessible street for all users by including a variety of safety features, such as high visibility crosswalks, dedicated bike lanes, narrowed vehicular traffic lanes, pedestrian bump outs and a traffic diverter at Linden Park.
The project corridor also includes additional amenities like bike racks, bike repair stations, benches and trash and recycling receptacles. A focal point of the design is an artistic median installation by local artist Anthony Lee, located west of Manassas Street and in front of the SWTCC Sails Gymnasium.
Key Enhancements on MLK
Pedestrian bump outs and high visibility crosswalks aid in traffic calming and improve pedestrian safety
Streetbond pavement coating applied in bump outs and artistic median
Bicycle lane buffers, including reflective delineator posts and Zebra cycle lane separators
ADA-compliant truncated dome mats to alert the disabled or visually impaired of high-traffic areas
17 trash cans
6 benches
7 bike racks
4 bike repair stations
80 Self-watering planters
Artistic median installation designed by local artist Anthony Lee
Manassas STREET
Project Completed in 2018
Manassas Street is phase two of MMDC’s streetscape enhancement projects implemented in partnership with the City of Memphis (the City). Following the resurfacing of Manassas from April to June 2018 by the City, MMDC added street design features to further improve the safety and aesthetics of this critical north to south connector.
The City’s resurfacing project reduced the roadway from five to three lanes to better accommodate traffic flow from Poplar to MLK Avenues and added dedicated bike lanes to connect existing and future bicycle routes in the city. On-street parking and buffered bike lanes add additional safety features for cyclists and improve the comfort level for pedestrians.
MMDC’s additional enhancements further improve the safety of the street for all users. The focal point of the project is the artistic mid-block crossing located between Madison and Union Avenues, positioned between the University of Tennessee’s Cancer Research Building to the west and Health Sciences Park to the east. Local artists Cat and Nick Peña designed the piece which covers nearly 2,600 square feet of roadway. Local artists Anthony Lee and Kaleob Elkins partnered on the installation. The artistic installation is bordered by two crosswalks and aids in the traffic calming at this highly-used mid-block crossing.
Key Enhancements on Manassas
Pedestrian bump outs and crosswalks provide additional visual cues to drivers to reduce speeds and watch for pedestrians; reduce crossing time and distance for pedestrians
Endurablend pavement coating (bump outs and mid-block crosswalks)
Streetbond pavement coating (mid-block artistic installation)
Concrete traffic domes further calm traffic and protect pedestrians
Bike lane protections including wheel stops and delineator posts keep cyclists safe
70 self-watering planters
Dual flow waste and recycling receptacles
High visibility crosswalks
Artistic crosswalk designed by Cat and Nick Peña in partnership with Anthony Lee and Kaleob Elkins
MARSHALL & MONROE AVENUES
Project Completed in 2017
The Marshall & Monroe streetscape improvements included: pedestrian plazas, seating and planters to dramatically reduce the street width and slow traffic, adding bike lanes, and increasing parking. The total cost was approximately $200,000.
In our construction we achieved 42% minority-and women-owned business participation. The Downtown Memphis Commission (DMC) provided project funding to support this work and commissioned an extraordinary artwork “There is More to be Proud Of,” by local artist Cat Peña. This shimmering, soothing, shade-casting public art installation was unveiled to the public at a party on the plaza in March 2017.
