Category Archives: Transportation/Mobility

Memphis celebrates Bike to Work Day to promote pedestrian and biking safety

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With many different ways to get around Memphis, the Downtown Memphis Commission is working to educate Memphians.

Lauren Bermudez with the Downtown Memphis Commission told FOX13 that May is considered commuter month in the city. The downtown commission uses the month to inform commuters about the resources available to them.

“Not everyone has a personal vehicle for their use 24/7, you know, to make every trip,” said Bermudez.

Bike to Work Day is part of commuter month. Members of the downtown commission were spread across Memphis offering free breakfast and coffee to bikers. Richard Grover told FOX13 he chooses to ride a scooter every day.

Downtown Mobility Center to include 48 ‘EV-ready’ parking spaces

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The $40 million Downtown Mobility Center is set to include 960 parking spots, 11,000-square-feet of commercial space, showers and now 48 “EV-ready” spaces.

According to a report filed by the Downtown Memphis Commission staff, the parking structure will set aside 5% of its spaces for electric panel support and conduit capacity for the future operation of Level 2 chargers.

Level 2 chargers are middle-range type chargers that provide about 65 miles range per charging hour.

Final slab of Hernando DeSoto Bridge in place – Reopening Date TBD

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After a Monday morning media tour of the work, Tennessee Department of Transportation officials said they still don’t have a target date at the seven-week mark of closure for reopening the bridge, which is a vital section of Interstate 40.

“The post-tensioning process is securing the load right now,” said Brandon Akins, TDOT operations engineer, as he pointed to an exposed rod near the damaged section of the bridge structure where the gash in the steel has now been cut away.

Wolf River Greenway continues expansion, conservancy sees uptick in trail usage

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Providing more ways to move around Downtown… When completed, the 26-mile, multi-purpose trail will wind its way through 22 neighborhoods from Downtown out to Germantown. Twelve miles have already been completed and are open to the public and another three are under construction.

New on-demand public transit service Groove On-Demand launches in Downtown

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MATA, Downtown Memphis Commission, Memphis Medical District Collaborative see role for Via’s flexible technology to expand access to transit in the Downtown Core.

 

Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA), the Downtown Memphis Commission, and the Memphis Medical District Collaborative will launch Groove On-Demand, a dynamically-routed on-demand public transit service on February 10. In partnership with Via, the leader in TransitTech, Groove On-Demand will expand access to affordable, efficient, and convenient public transit for all riders in the greater Downtown Memphis area, including the Medical District and New Chicago.

The goal of the service is to support access to jobs, commercial, and medical opportunities in Downtown Memphis without the need for a private vehicle. Development in Downtown is growing rapidly, with $5 billion in the development pipeline and a 15 percent increase in population since 2000.

With Groove On-Demand, residents and workers will be able to commute to-and-from area transit hubs for seamless first-and-last mile connections, and book a ride directly to and around the downtown core of the city.

Riders will be able to hail a vehicle directly from their smartphone using the Groove On-Demand mobile app, powered by technology from Via, and can travel to any location within the service area during operating hours. Groove On-Demand is a shared ride service, and Via’s advanced algorithms match multiple passengers headed in the same direction to provide quick and efficient shared trips, without lengthy detours or inconvenient schedules. At the time of launch and until otherwise communicated, vehicles and bookings will be limited to a capacity of three riders to allow for in-vehicle social distancing.

“Nearly three years ago, MATA was selected to receive free technical assistance to help develop mobility on-demand projects such as this one,” said Gary Rosenfeld, Chief Executive Officer at MATA. “The launch of Groove On-Demand is another opportunity for MATA to improve how people connect to their destinations using an on demand-response service that transports riders directly from their doorstep to their destination. Another great benefit of this service is that it will greatly improve transit service to people who live in density challenged neighborhoods.”

“We are proud to play a role in the transformation of public transit in Memphis and to provide the community with a flexible, digitally-powered transportation solution,” said Daniel Ramot, CEO and co-founder of Via. “Groove On-Demand will be a seamless transit option for residents, and represents an opportunity for technology to usher in the next generation of mass transit.”

Requesting a ride on Groove On-Demand is easy. Using the Groove On-Demand mobile app, transit riders can book their ride by selecting a pickup and dropoff location within the service area. Once a ride is booked, passengers are directed to their exact pickup spot, and they can see the real-time location of their vehicle, the driver’s name and other information to help them spot their ride.

The on-demand service will be available in the service zone on Monday through Friday from 7 am to 8 pm. Rides are similar to the cost of a bus trip, and cost $1.25, with additional passengers at $0.75 each. Concessions for seniors, students, and riders with disabilities are $0.50 per ride.

“Our work to create a ‘Downtown for Everyone’ includes increasing mobility options across this geography. Working with MATA and MMDC to provide equitable transit options in Downtown just makes sense. Whether you are a commuter, resident, patient, or student the new Groove On-Demand provides a low cost shared-transit opportunity,” said Lauren Crabtree, Transportation Program Manager, Downtown Memphis Commission. “Additionally, increasing mobility choice is a core function of Downtown’s new Transportation Management Association, or TMA. Providing an on-demand transit service like this a great start.”

To ensure accessibility for all riders, Groove On-Demand will include wheelchair-accessible vehicles, and booking for those without a smartphone by calling 901-763-8422. For more information about the new on-demand service, visit https://downtownmemphis.com/groove-on-demand/. The Groove On-Demand app is available for download on iOS and Android devices.

Via works with more than 150 partners around the globe to provide flexible transit solutions. Groove On-Demand is Via’s first service in Tennessee, adding to Via’s presence in the southeast, including Birmingham, AL, St. Louis, MO, Miami, FL, and Wilson, NC.

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About MATA:

The Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) is the public transportation provider for the Memphis area. As one of the largest transit operators in the state of Tennessee, MATA transports customers in the City of Memphis and parts of Shelby County on fixed-route buses, paratransit vehicles and vintage rail trolleys. For more information, visit www.matatransit.com.

About Downtown Memphis Commission:

The Downtown Memphis Commission (DMC) drives Downtown’s role as the economic, cultural, and governmental core of our city and county. The DMC is funded by an assessment on commercial property in the Central Business Improvement District (CBID), which is reinvested into fueling incentives and activations designed to support the growth of Downtown’s population and appraised commercial property values.

Through our investment in Downtown development, infrastructure, vibrancy, and activation, we are creating a stronger Downtown Memphis—a Downtown for everyone.

Learn more on the DMC’s State of Downtown Dashboard.  | www.downtownmemphis.com