Building Together: City of Memphis Weekly Newsletter

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Winter Weather Quick Links: 

Snow/Ice Street Clearing Map: memphistn.gov/snow-ice

City of Memphis Winter Weather Info: memphistn.gov/winter-weather

We are sending the newsletter early today to help prepare you for the winter weather we are experiencing today. On behalf of everyone at the city, we want to thank you for doing your part to continue to keep our roadways clear, out infrastructure intact, and our community safe. Our city teams are out now plowing the roadways and will continue to do so throughout the entirety of this winter weather event. 

We are using a new snow/ice mitigation strategy this year - this new plan is designed to connect more of our residents to jobs, healthcare, and state and federal roadways. You can view the new roadway plan here. Please note that our team will clear ONE lane in each direction on all routes noted on the map. Again, I want to remind all of us that we are in this together. Let’s take it slowly, let’s be mindful of others on the road, and remember that getting to our destinations safely is more important than getting there quickly.  

I’ve had some questions about why we changed the way we clear the roads. Before this year, our approach was to spot clear bridges, overpasses, and other problem areas. This year, with the help of our partners at FedEx, we have designed what we believe will be a better approach to treating the city's streets during winter weather events. This route-based solution is intended to allow more Memphians safe access to their necessary destinations.

We are approaching this new plan as a “connect the dots” strategy, clearing entire lanes of traffic rather than just trouble spots. That means we'll treat entire routes - versus just hotspots - on roads like Union, Third Street, Poplar, Jackson, etc. That work was started on Wednesday when we began pre-treating with brine. On Thursday night, we began treating with salt, and we deployed the first plows overnight last night. 

According to Scott Morgan, our new Director of Public Works, we have 2 thousand tons of salt on hand, ready for the event; we have 15 salt trucks that have already been deployed to all the routes; we have 12 plows that are equipped on our heavy equipment vehicles; and we've also employed the help of a contractor with four additional plows.

I suggest you check out the map at  memphistn.gov/snow-ice to determine your best route before you hit the roads today. Please note that we cannot clear neighborhood streets, so those areas may still be problematic. Be patient with each other and with the crews working to clear the routes - remember, our teams are made up of your neighbors. These men and women are out working to keep you safe. Let’s show appreciation for their work by staying off the roads unless necessary. 

Let’s also remember that the interstate and other state roads are being cleared by TDOT. On the map, the routes we are clearing are marked with red; the TDOT routes are marked with yellow. Again, please be patient with the crews. Watch your weather forecasts and be mindful of the routes the city is maintaining and clearing. 

Our City never closes. We aren’t taking a snow day today - but we do have limited hours and openings for some city facilities; you can find those here.

Please know that we will continue to provide assistance until we emerge from this weather event. You can find more winter weather info at  memphistn.gov/winter-weather and the snow/ice mitigation map at memphistn.gov/snow-ice.

A reminder from MLGW:

Let’s remember to check on our neighbors, especially the elderly and those with special needs, let’s watch out for our pets and ensure they are warm and dry. And let’s remember to protect our pipes from extreme temperatures; check out MLGW tips here.

Stay safe, Memphis. 

Weekly Crime Trend

The report below provides our weekly update on Part 1 Crimes. It updates daily and shows a continuous rolling 7-day total compared to the prior 7-day total. The charts on the right show the calendar week trend, comparing 2023 to 2024.

(We maintain two crime dashboards, the Weekly Crime Trend report can be found here, and the Crime Analytics dashboard can be accessed here.)

Our Strike Team worked in the following zip codes this week: 38018, 38109, 38128

Community Engagement:

Memphis Academy of Civic Engagement. The MACE program was created to give citizens of Memphis 18 and over an in-depth insight on various aspects of Memphis, divisions of city government, and community involvement. Sign up for the free 7-week program to hear from government officials and community leaders to increase your civic understanding of our city. Applications are due by 5:00pm on Monday, January 13. See more and apply here. 

Blight Zero: Project Clean City Grant Program. If you are a small business or non-profit organization specializing in landscaping, hauling, or other general contracting services addressing blight, consider applying for the Blight Zero: Project Clean City Grant Program. Applications are available online now through January 31, 2025. See more and apply here. 

Social and Community Shout-outs:

Solid Waste Holiday Schedule. Plan ahead for MLK Day and be sure to look at the Solid Waste pick-up schedule for residents that gets trash picked up by the City of Memphis. See more details and share here. 

Movies At Your Art Museum. $5 dollar movies at your art museum! Kick off the year with a cinematic experience at Brooks Museum! Enjoy the 1932 classic Shanghai Express, featuring Hollywood’s first Asian American movie star, the legendary Anna May Wong. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the cultural and historical impact of a true icon. See more and reserve your seat here. 

Memphis Public Libraries. Join the Whitehaven Branch Public Library on Wednesday, January 15 at 7pm for their Life After High School Series with a focus on scholarships. This class is free and will give you an in-depth understanding on being financially savvy for your future. Sign-up and see details here. 

in partnership and progress,

Paul A. Young