The City of West Memphis is set to receive a $16,155,550 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The purpose of the grant is reportedly to restore hundreds of acres of Mississippi River floodplain with wetlands and riparian forest protecting the surface transportation routes of Interstates 55 and 40, two major freight rail lines and the Big River Crossing bicycle-pedestrian bridge that opened in 2016.
Congressman Steve Cohen, who is a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, commented on the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) grant.
“The thoughtful use of this PROTECT grant will restore the environment along our riverfront and strengthen the resiliency of major transportation and recreation corridors benefiting the entire Mid-South region," Cohen said. "I was pleased to work with DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg, regional state and federal DOT officials and the many public and private stakeholders who have made this major investment possible. Although the grant recipient is technically in Arkansas, this funding will have a positive impact on Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District and the wider region. I am pleased to see another IIJA discretionary grant awarded to our community.”
Stakeholders who publicly support the grant include Congressman David Kustoff (TN-8), the City of Memphis, Shelby County, FedEx, AutoZone, the Greater Memphis Chamber, the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Downtown Memphis Commission, Regional One Health, the University of Memphis.
