Quarterly Newsletter - December 2022
Happy Holidays!
Season's Greetings from the Memphis MPO Staff! Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy Holidays!
Mid-South Freight Flows & Industry Analysis
The Mid-South Freight Flows & Industry Analysis is a study conducted by the Memphis MPO, in conjunction with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, to identify trends and develop recommendations for facilitating the growth of the freight and logistics industries in the tri-state Mid-South region. This study will replace the 2017 Freight Plan and will focus on the future of freight flows and the expansion of the railroad business, trucking, air cargo, waterways, pipeline and warehousing industries in the region. The Draft Mid-South Freight Flows & Industry Analysis is available for review and comment through January 28, 2023, and can be found by visiting the MPO's Mid-South Freight Study Webpage.
New MPO Staff Member
Kayla Brooks joined the Memphis MPO team as a Grants Coordinator on December 1st. She is a Memphis native with a bachelor’s degree in Business Accounting that she earned from LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, TN. After earning her bachelor’s, she then relocated to Atlanta, GA to obtain her MBA in Marketing at Clark Atlanta University.  Kayla began working for Baptist Memorial Hospital as a Finance Coordinator right after graduate school. She most recently worked as an Accounting Technician for Shelby County Government's Finance Department. 
Annual Listing of Obligated Projects
The Memphis MPO’s Annual Listing of Obligated Projects (ALOP) for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 is now available. The ALOP features a comprehensive list of federally funded regional projects that obligated funds during the federal fiscal year. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) defines obligation as the Federal government’s legal commitment (promise) to pay or reimburse a State or other entity for the Federal share of a project’s eligible costs. An obligated project has been authorized by the Federal government and funds have been obligated or approved for reimbursement. The total obligation for FY 2022 was $263,424,280 with $157,180,419 in Tennessee projects, $37,754,589 in Mississippi projects, and $68,489,272 in transit projects. Visit the Annual Listing of Obligated Projects webpage to view the 2022 ALOP.
Memphis MPO Biteable Videos

As a national and global hub, the Memphis Region plays a critical role in the nation's supply chain. With its excellent transportation infrastructure and abundant warehousing facilities, the region is well-connected to the national and global markets for a wide range of freight and economic activities. In 2019 the Memphis Region handled 376 million tons of freight, valued at $700 billion, and in the coming years, it’s continuing to grow due to the growth of consumer goods, its central location, and the availability of transportation infrastructure. Check out our new Biteable video to learn more!
Headlines
DeSoto County Board of Supervisors held a ribbon cutting event to celebrate the opening of Holly Springs Road in Hernando.

Olive Branch city officials have received grant approval to cover the cost of the restoration and repair of a walking trail at the City Park. 

Federal, state, local and business leaders marked the completion of 3.3 million-square-foot de-icing pads at Memphis International Airport in November.

The proposed legislation will ensure the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), under the leadership of Commissioner Butch Eley, meets the state’s current and future transportation challenges – both urban and rural – to prepare for increased economic advantages.
Program & Funding Opportunities
Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE)
The U.S. Department of Transportation has published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $1.5 billion in grant funding through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program for 2023. RAISE discretionary grants help project sponsors at the State and local levels, including municipalities, Tribal governments, counties, and others complete critical freight and passenger transportation infrastructure projects. The eligibility requirements of RAISE allow project sponsors to obtain funding for projects that are harder to support through other U.S. DOT grant programs. The deadline to apply is February 28, 2023. More information on the RAISE Grants, including the NOFO, application instructions, resources, and FAQs, is available here.
MPO Planners On the Job

October:

8: Mid-South SAP Pop-Up Meeting - Horn Lake
12: Mid-South SAP Working Group Meeting - Virtual
13: Mid-South SAP Pop-Up Meeting - Downtown Memphis
13: Memphis MPO FAC Meeting
15: Mid-South SAP Pop-Up Meeting - Arlington
18: Joint TDOT TIMS/ Memphis MPO TOAC Meeting - Virtual
20-21: TN Bike Ped Summit - Knoxville
22: Mid-South SAP Pop-Up Meeting - Midtown Memphis
25-28: AMPO Annual Conference - Minneapolis, MN

Webinars:
20: USDOT Webinar on Freight Analysis Framework (FAF5) Modeling Tool

November:

15: Memphis MPO ATAC Meeting - Virtual

Webinars:
16: FHWA CMAQ Emissions Calculator Toolkit
17: USDOT Justice40 Initiative

December:

1: Memphis Pedestrian Advisory Council Meeting - Virtual
7: Mid-South SAP Working Group Meeting - Shelby County Roads and Bridges
9: Core TMA Meeting - Virtual
9: DeSoto County Infrastructure Committee Meeting - Southaven
13: MATA Board Meeting - Virtual
14: TDOT Region 4 TIMS Self-Assessment - Virtual


Upcoming Events:

January 2 - New Years Day (observed), MPO office closed
January 16 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day, MPO office closed
February 16 - Memphis MPO ETC & TPB Meetings
February 20 - Presidents' Day, MPO office closed
Did You Know?
You can receive periodic email updates on regional transportation planning issues!
Contact us if you have a question or need information on an MPO plan/study!
Meeting Calendar
January - March 2023