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Memphis Innovation Corridor Slated To Begin Construction In Fall 2023

Construction of the Memphis Innovation Corridor, the first bus rapid transit (BRT) service in Memphis, is tentatively scheduled to begin in fall 2023, with service beginning in the spring of 2027, according to Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA).

The Memphis Innovation Corridor is about an eight-and-a-half mile route that connects the William Hudson Transit Center, that goes east and west along Union Avenue, a portion of Poplar Avenue, connecting at the University of Memphis. MATA said it is an important step in remaking transit in Memphis.

The Corridor will be a bus route that operates like a rail line, with 31 stops along the way, said John Lancaster, MATA’s chief development officer. Lancaster also said that these will include amenities such as ticket vending machines and real time information. All the stations are also slated to be ADA accessible.

“We really want to improve the travel time and reliability for transit customers,” said Lancaster. “With Bus Rapid Transit we have more frequent operations. We’re proposing a 10-minute headway – that’s how often the buses come.”

In 2016, BRT was adopted as the “preferred transit solution,” for the Memphis Innovation Corridor, said MATA. The organization also said that in 2019, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a $ 12 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Developments (BUILD) grant to the city of Memphis for the design and construction of 

BRT offers a “higher level of service,” said Lancaster. He said it’s much more reliable, and there are definitive stops that are spaced efficiently. There are also about 15 other bus routes that will connect to this corridor that will improve connections with the route, which will also improve travel times, Lancaster explained.

The project will also use electric buses, which will make it “more environmentally sustainable.”

“On the infrastructure side, those safety benefits benefit the environment in terms of emissions,” said Kenny Monroe of Kimley-Horn: Planning and Design Engineering Consultants. Monroe also serves as a project manager on the consulting team for MATA.

Monroe also said that hopefully more people will shift from passenger cars to buses as a result of BRT.

MATA’s goal is to provide “high-quality transit service,” and not only does this project increase ridership, but it lowers transportation for the people who live in the corridor. Lancaster also said this aligns with the city of Memphis’ comprehensive plan. The city also developed a Transit Oriented Development plan.

“All of these things help provide better access to jobs, medical services, educational opportunities, and it reduces the dependency on single-occupant vehicles,” Lancaster said.

The project will also include Downtown intersection improvements such as reduced pedestrian crosswalks, improved pedestrian striping and signals, as well as bioswales, which will help with stormwater runoff and drainage, said Monroe.

There will also be traffic signal improvements, said Monroe. There are 52 traffic signals along the corridor, and about 42 of them will be improved as a part of this project.

“There will be transit signal priority,” said Monroe. “Basically if a bus is behind schedule, it notifies the system, and the signals will react to help get that bus back on schedule.”

“It’s a transit project but it’s a complete infrastructure project that includes roadways, sidewalks, traffic signals, lighting [and] street lights,” said Lancaster. “It includes the buses and transit too, but it’s a lot of improvements for the city that people may not realize is happening.

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Bus Rider Union: Rapid Bus Route ‘Long Overdue’ Here

Justin Fox Burks


A leader of the Memphis Bus Riders Union said a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line is “long overdue” in Memphis.

Officials announced earlier this month that the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) is receiving a $12 million federal grant to create a rapid bus line here.

The $12 million Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant will partially fund Memphis’ Innovation Corridor, an eight-mile stretch between Downtown and the University of Memphis.

The BRT line, dubbed mConnect, will be the first in the region.

Proposed BRT route


Justin Davis, organizing coordinator for the MBRU said “it’s really important that we’re talking about changing the city’s infrastructure to accommodate transit better and making it easier to use with new stops and new technology.”

However, he said many bus riders are frustrated that most of the recent efforts to improve the city’s transit have been focused in Midtown and Downtown.

“We still have many neighborhoods where service is so unreliable and inaccessible that people can’t even get to Midtown or Downtown in a reasonable amount of time,” Davis said. “Midtown and Downtown already have the most reliable service. We need high-frequency service going north to south and bus routes that directly address the needs of low-income folks, people of color, and people with disabilities.”

Davis said many parts of the MATA system still need “significant repair.” There need to be more conversations about finding a dedicated funding source for MATA. Dedicated funding will give the system “stability,” he said, making the network “better for everyone, not just the people who will benefit from this BRT line right now.”

At a community meeting on Monday, officials revealed details for the project to the public looking to gather feedback. The public has until December 2nd to comment on the project.

Construction on the project is expected to begin in 2021 with service beginning in 2024.

Here are some other preliminary facts about mConnect:

• The route will include 30 modern transit stations that are well-lit, covered, and ADA accessible

• Buses will arrive every 10 minutes during peak hours.

• All of the buses will be electric and equipped with vehicle health monitoring, collision avoidance, and predictive maintenance technology.

• WiFi will be available at the stations and on-board.

• Dedicated bus lanes will be created on portions of B.B. King Boulevard and Second Street.

• Buses will have traffic signal priority along the route.

• Other features include mobile ticketing, automated voice announcements, and real-time security cameras.

Officials seek feedback at public meeting Monday


The total cost of the Innovation Corridor is $74 million. The largest portion of the funds, $39 million, are federal dollars. Another $12 million comes from the BUILD grant, $18.5 million from the city, and $4.5 million from the state.

Memphis’s project is one of 55 in 35 states to receive a portion of the 2019 U.S. Department of Transportation’s $900 million BUILD grant.

The Innovation Corridor was identified as a potential high-capacity transit corridor by a 2004 MATA study. The study, Midtown Alternative Analysis, looked at transit needs and the potential to provide a higher quality service within Midtown and surrounding neighborhoods.