The results are in for a survey the City’s Department of Engineering gave the public to get feedback on 10 street repaving projects across the city, including Riverside Drive.
Over 1,700 people took the City’s online survey and left nearly 2,500 comments.
The proposals received an overall positive public response, each gaining at least 70 percent of respondents’ support.
Respondents were asked to either vote for or against each of the ten designs below which make up the Surface Transportation Program repaving project.
N. Highland St. – Summer Ave. to Walnut Grove Rd.
Riverside Dr. – Jefferson Ave. to Beale St.
N. Perkins St. – Summer Ave. to Walnut Grove
Hickory Hill Rd. – Mt. Moriah Rd. to Winchester Rd.
Knight Arnold Rd. – Hickory Hill Rd. to Ridgeway Rd.
Riverdale Rd. – Winchester Rd. to Shelby Dr.
Cooper St. – Washington Ave. to Central Ave
Getwell Rd. – Park Ave. to I-240
Airways Blvd. – Shelby Dr. to TN/MS State Line
Mendenhall Rd.– Knight Arnold Rd. to Mt. Moriah Rd.
The Riverside Drive proposal, which would reduce the street to one lane in each direction, adding bike lanes to both sides of the road, was supported by about 72 percent of respondents.
One South Main resident who commented on the proposed design says she is “fully in support of the Riverside proposal.”
“Not only does it help our outdoors in downtown, but it also helps stop the beautiful Riverside Drive from being a highway connector,” she commented.
Still those who make up the remaining 30 percent of respondents who do not support the new design, maintain that Riverside Drive should be four lanes, allowing for a more steady traffic flow.
The City says they appreciate all feedback, which they will take into consideration when deciding on how to proceed with each project in the coming weeks.
