Memphis — Airport LRT Grant

Rail Transit Online, September 2004

Funding for the first tentative step toward building a light rail line from downtown to the airport was announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation.  The $6.7-million grant will be used for preliminary planning of an intermodal ground transportation terminal at Memphis International Airport Authority that would be used by a future LRT link.  The Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) is currently evaluating two alternative routes from the existing Medical Center heritage rail station on Madison Avenue to the airport.  Once the final alignment is selected and approved, construction could begin.  MATA President and General Manager Will Hudson said if there are no major delays, trains could be running in five to seven years.  Virtually all of MATA’s heritage trolley system has been built to light rail standards, which would allow airport trains to operate directly into Main Street downtown with little additional work.