A controversial proposal to close Goodwyn Street at Southern Avenue (near the Memphis Country Club) to through traffic gets a hearing at City Council next Tuesday, November 8th.
Residents of the area are sharply divided over the issue, with proponents claiming the move will stop excessive speeding on Goodwyn and reduce crime.
Opponents of the closing say the measure is all about race and class and that the closure is to keep residents of the poorer neighborhood south of Southern from being able to enter the exclusive Chickasaw Gardens area.
Last May, a highly publicized rape occurred on Goodwyn. Since then, some residents have been pushing for more crime control, including closing Goodwyn at Southern.
But Gwen Lausterer, who lives in condos at Southern and Goodwyn, questions how the proposal will affect traffic on Haynes, Greer, and other side streets that run between Central and Southern, especially those that don’t have a traffic light (as Goodwyn does) to control traffic.
Activists on both sides of the issue are gearing up to attend a hearing set for next Tuesday, November 8th at 10 a.m.
For more information about the street closing and the hearing, contact city planner, Carlos McCloud, at 576-6619 or carlos.mccloud@memphistn.gov.
