Concerns Rise Over Dangerous Road Conditions in South Memphis

Concerns Rise Over Dangerous Road Conditions in South Memphis

Memphis, TN – Do you ever worry about the roads while driving around town? Well, a Mid-South mother shared a jaw-dropping story about her recent experience on South Parkway that might just make you think twice about driving in that area, especially at night!

Jessie Quick was navigating the winding roads with her children when things took a terrifying turn. Traveling East on South Parkway, she suddenly lost track of the curve ahead, jumped the curb, and encountered an *open manhole*, leaving her in shock. “Oh, my God. Oh, my God. What did I hear? What happened?” she exclaimed, recalling the frightful moment. Jessie didn’t spot any road signs indicating the sudden curve, and the dim lighting in the area didn’t help either.

To make matters worse, Jessie had the misfortune of hitting that *uncovered manhole*, which caused *severe damage* to her vehicle, leaving her with three blown tires! “I had no idea that the road stopped,” Jessie shared, shaking her head. “It was incredibly frightening. My kids started screaming and crying.” Once she got out of her car to assess the situation, she met another driver who had faced the same fate, just moments before her!

Unfortunately, Jessie discovered that she wasn’t alone in her struggle with this particular curve. In a short span of thirty minutes, two more drivers found themselves in the same predicament, and Jessie was quick to capture footage of their accidents. “I hope that they put up signs, barriers, those big orange barrels or perhaps better signage,” she said with a passionate plea. She believes that a guardrail might even be a safer option, stating that driving into a guardrail is better than risking flying over an uncovered manhole.

Jessie took to Google for some answers and found out that this area has had the same road signs in place for over a year. Frustrated, she hopes the City of Memphis will step up and reimburse her and other drivers affected by these accidents. “One of my children is a St. Jude patient with health problems, so it’s just one more added stress to the current things that I have going on,” she expressed.

City Response and Safety Measures

In response to Jessie’s concerns, the city quickly got in touch with a spokesperson from the local government. They mentioned that the barricade crews had taken a look at the uncovered manhole over the weekend, confirming it belongs to MLGW (Memphis Light, Gas and Water). Thankfully, barricade crews responded promptly, securing and covering the hazardous manhole.

MLGW acknowledged the issues as well, letting Jessie’s family and others know that maintenance crews were en route to ensure the manhole is covered properly. But for drivers in this area, the question still looms large: what can be done to prevent such accidents from occurring in the future?

Community Recommendations

It’s clear that community feedback is essential in creating safer streets. Many locals echo Jessie’s call for increased signage, better lighting, and protective barriers. Public safety always tops the list of community concerns, and it’s evident that road conditions must improve to keep drivers and their passengers safe.

As Jessie said, “Let’s hope the City of Memphis takes action” to address these ongoing issues before anyone else has to face a harrowing experience like hers. It might be time to rally together and push for change in our neighborhoods as we work towards safer roadways for everyone.

Author: HERE Memphis