Proposals would improve parking, sidewalks

Overton Park offers shady picnic areas, two playgrounds, a dog park, and miles of trails. The park is also fortunate to have so many cultural institutions all sharing space. Having a world-class zoo, art museum, art college, and performing arts facility all nestled within a beautiful park is a rare privilege, amounting to a treasure that’s uniquely Memphis.

Over time, as the park and its attractions have grown in popularity, it has become more difficult to accommodate all the cars entering the park.  To accommodate more than one million visitors per year, the Memphis Zoo received permission from the City of Memphis to allow overflow parking on the park’s Greensward during busy days. This arrangement was made many years before the Conservancy was created to manage the park, and the Mayor’s office has offered this permission through January 1, 2019.

The City of Memphis, Overton Park Conservancy, and the Memphis Zoo discussed a parking deck built on Zoo property as a permanent solution to the overflow parking problem.  But with cost estimates in the millions, it could take many years to raise enough money to build a garage.

However, there are several creative solutions that can be put in place now that will make a considerable dent in the problem. The City of Memphis’ Division of Parks & Neighborhoods has proposed a solution that would add about 350 new parking spaces to the park.

N. Parkway Improvements

The first component would involve making some long-needed improvements to existing sidewalks along N. Parkway.  As an added bonus, these improvements benefit pedestrians both in and around Overton Park.

Overton Park Conservancy has put a major focus on improving bicycle and pedestrian access to the park.  In 2013, we proposed that the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) award the City funding for several park access improvements. Through the Memphis Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), TDOT granted $422,000 to the City to enhance sidewalk access on the park’s perimeter.  To access these dollars, the Conservancy must raise another $87,000 in matching funds.

The Conservancy and the City have determined that the best and most urgent use of these funds is to repair the broken sidewalks along N. Parkway between McLean and University and extend them to the park entrance.  This will enable the City to add both bike lanes and a street parking lane that will hold up to 100 cars.  Because of the proximity to the Zoo’s N. Parkway entrance, these 100 spaces could be filled with Zoo employee parking, freeing up spaces in the existing lots.

Parking Lot Improvements

Additionally, the Division of Parks & Neighborhoods determined that a redesign of the Zoo’s main parking area could create 250 additional spaces with minimal impact to Overton Park.  A design process will be undertaken this year, with concepts ready for public review this summer.  Construction and landscaping will occur in phases during the winter off-season.  If needed, the Greensward would serve as overflow parking during the construction process.

Together, the two projects should reduce the impact to the Greensward, both in the number of days it is used and the extent to which it used on those days.  While these projects may not be a total solution, they represent a significant improvement over current conditions and come at a relatively low price tag.

We are excited to move forward with solutions that create noticeable improvements to the park.  As we work on this issue with our partners at the City and the Zoo, we ask that you consider visiting the park car-free when possible, especially on nice days when the traffic is likely to be heavy.  We appreciate your patience and above all, your investment in the park’s future.

If you’d like to donate to the effort to improve the N. Parkway sidewalks so a parking lane can be added, click here.