Bike the Harahan

It's happening!

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen announced today that Memphis has received a $14,939,000 Tiger IV grant for streetscape, Amtrak, pedestrian, and bike improvements along a 12-mile corridor that'll open the Harahan for bikers and walkers and connect Memphis and West Memphis.

Click HERE for the announcement.
Click HERE for Flyer coverage.
Click HERE for more information about the project, how it will effect downtown, and the grant application.

A chart breaks improvements down by route section; click to enlarge.























The Tiger Grant will be matched by local funding. The chart shows the proposed sources; click to enlarge.

1st Blueway in W. TN Opens

50 paddlers put in at the Parker Ditch boat ramp in Tigrett Wildlife Management Area Sat., June 9th and paddled 11 miles to take-out at the new boat dock in Dyersburg. It was the official opening of W. TN's first blueway and a time to celebrate!

A thank you and credit goes to several people and groups:

MS River Corridor - TN, which has been working with the National Park Service on the blueway and received a grant from the

Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation’s Recreational Trails Program to purchase and install the new dock;

Jim Stark of Dyer County who has been the chief local proponent of the Blueway and dock; UT Martin for providing 16 canoes; and Steve Guttery of the Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber for providing all paddlers with lunch.

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Yahoo Travel Recommends 10 Stunning Riverfront Towns for Budget Travel

Memphis, Davenport, IA; San Antonio, TX; New Orleans; Minneapolis, MN; Cincinnati, OH; Beacon, NY; Hood River, OR; Augusta, KY; and Great Falls, MT.

Besides being affordable, what do these 10 have in common?

Parks, paths, recreation, historic uniqueness,
and, except for San Antonio, which isn't really on a river by Memphis standards,
they all tout stunning panoramic river views.
Do we really want to change that in Memphis by adding a "colorful topper" the size of an interstate sign to Beale Street Landing?


People thought this was a joke when the online Flyer posted it. But it's not. The shaft sign was submitted by the RDC to the Memphis Downtown Commission Design Review Board for approval. Review of the shaft/sign has been postponed until July.

Click HERE for the Yahoo list and comments.

Rivers - A great place for Pomp & Pageantry, Then & Now

Photo by Jeff J Mitchel/Getty Images. New York Times slideshow.

Thousands lined the River Thames in London for the Jubilee River Pageant - the perfect setting to start the Diamond Jubilee celebrating the 60 year reign of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

As the BBC says: "London would not be the city it is today without the River Thames. In past centuries it helped commerce and trade grow and also was used to stage grand events and regal ceremonies." Sound a little like Memphis and our connection to the Mississippi? No one knows how to do pomp and pageantry like the British, but the landing of the royal barge on the Cobblestone Landing at Memphis was a good attempt and an exciting beginning to the old Memphis Cotton Carnival.


The BBC has produced a fascinating 6 minute video on the role of the Thames in past and present pomp and pageantry. Click HERE to watch.