This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis River Parks Partnership broke ground Thursday on a 218-foot-long observation deck on the Mississippi River.

The Memphis Flyway will be the only free and ADA-accessible observation deck on the Mississippi River and is set to open in 2026.

Carol Coletta with the Memphis River Parks Partnership explains the flyway will be a boardwalk expanding over the river, offering an up-close view of the water, nature, and beauty.

It will sit on the water between the 1-55 Bridge and the I-40 Bridge, running adjacent to Tom Lee Park.

The Memphis Flyway is set to open in 2026 (Photo courtesy of the Memphis River Parks Partnership)

MRPP expects to draw more than 1 million new visitors annually to the Memphis area. They say the Flyway will “conserve unspoiled habitat below the structure for a wide variety of species including the at-risk Monarch butterfly.”

Eith Regena Bearden with Memphis Tourism says it will be huge for the economy.

“People will take photos, they’ll post, they’ll be become our marketing engine and become great ambassadors for the city of Memphis so we’re super excited about it,” Bearden said.

The Flyway will also allow visitors to view more than 100 species of birds that fly past the Memphis riverfront each year.

  • The Memphis Flyway is set to open in 2026 (Photo courtesy of the Memphis River Parks Partnership)
  • The Memphis Flyway is set to open in 2026 (Photo courtesy of the Memphis River Parks Partnership)

But perhaps even more importantly, it will be a chance for the people who call Memphis home to connect with their city and all the amazing things it has to offer.

“The flyway is perfect, it’s the perfect name, and everyone that believes in nature and how we need to get more into it, we have to give them a big thanks for making this happen,” said Chermeal Neely-Alexander of Whitehaven.

The project is expected to take about two years to complete. WREG was told parts of Riverside Drive may be closed in the process, but those closures will be announced well in advance.

The Tennessee Heritage Conservation Trust Fund, the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the Tennessee Department of Transportation, and an anonymous donor are funding the project.

The Mississippi River stretches more than 3,000 miles across 10 states.

The Great River Road follows the Mississippi River from the river’s source in Minnesota, to where it empties into the Gulf of Mexico.

Suggest a Correction