The Memphis Transportation Authority is exploring a number of transportation options to make the future $ 5.6 billion Ford plant in Haywood County more accessible to Memphis.
One option: Set up a light rail system that runs from Memphis to the west side of Tennessee in Stanton, about 50 miles northeast of the city.
The idea remains in the planning stage, but MATA is committed to solving the challenge of moving potential Ford employees from Memphis to the mega site, said MATA CEO Gary Rosenfeld.
“We’ve been telling the community for a long time that in order to justify light rail systems in the community, we need appropriate density of people, where they live and where they are going,” Rosenfeld said. “This opportunity presents itself as sufficiently dense to justify at least a light rail as a possible solution.”
Light rail is a type of public transportation that is powered by overhead power lines and is often located in metro areas.
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A light rail system may have less traffic loads and more consistent travel times for mapmakers who want to continue living in the city (or nearby) and work on a project called Blue Oval City.
In September, Ford executives, along with South Korean company SK innovation, announced plans for a $ 5.6 billion project to manufacture electric trucks and electric vehicle batteries at the Mega site. The project could create about 5,800 jobs, and local and state officials believe it could change the West Tennessee area. Construction is expected to begin this year with the plant opening in 2025.
The initial announcement sparked excitement, but work continues throughout the region to ensure it is ready for a Ford-sized project. In an earlier story, Ted Townsend, Chief Economic Development Officer of the Greater Memphis Bureau, also acknowledged that moving Memphis to the city of Blue Oval would be a challenge.
“To meet Ford’s 2025 target date, we’ll need to come together as a community to think about how it affects transportation, yes, but also housing, education, labor, infrastructure, and the list goes on,” Townsend said in a statement in September. “But making sure people have access to these quality jobs will be a priority for everyone involved.”
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However, for MATA, which does not yet have a dedicated source of funding, money may be the biggest obstacle to a light rail system.
Rosenfeld did not give details on a price estimate for a light rail system, but said the planning process would cost several million dollars. He hopes to form a partnership with the Tennessee Department of Transportation to plan the project and / or eventually fund it.
TDOT spokesman Nicole Lawrence confirmed in an email on Tuesday that Rosenfeld had “contacted” the department about the idea.
“We told him we would have to study options beyond all the areas around the Blue Oval,” Lawrence wrote.
MATA is aware that it will have to successfully sell this program to local, state and federal agencies and the community for the light rail offer to succeed. Two aspects that Rosenfeld emphasized as reasons for making the investment are greater development where the light rail will be located and that it will support both urban and rural lifestyles.
“It can improve the community’s ability to maintain some sense of rural living compared to now. We’re just going to become suburban compared to rural and bring all the problems that suburbs bring in terms of infrastructure, development costs and all that kind of stuff,” he said.
If the plans do not move forward with the light rail proposal, Rosenfeld said another option could be a traditional passenger bus system, until the momentum for such an initiative increases.
“We want to be involved at an early stage so that we can present multiple opportunities and solutions and that we can create a sensible community plan that defines us not only for success for the Ford mega-site but also improves our success in the Shelby district and surrounding areas,” he said.
Omar Yusuf covers Ford project in Haywood County, residential and tourism real estate for the Commercial Appeal. You can contact him by email Omer.Yusuf@commercialappeal.com Or follow him on Twitter @OmerAYusuf.