New Delta Alliance to manage and benefit communities on Great River Road

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and the University of Memphis (UofM) have partnered to establish the “Tennessee Delta Alliance,” a new organization supporting the communities of Lake, Dyer, Lauderdale, Tipton, and Shelby counties. The organization will be housed in the university’s Center for Regional Economic Enrichment and will comprise a director and an advisory council of residents from the five counties. The Tennessee Delta Alliance will serve as a dual-purposed organization. Its mission is to manage the roadway and improve the corridor of the Great River Road National Scenic Byway, and to establish a water-based Keep America Beautiful affiliate for the communities adjacent to the corridor. The group will beautify, promote, and enhance the area along the Great River Road. The Great River Road is a National Scenic Byway that runs both sides of the Mississippi River through ten states. In 2021, Tennessee’s portion of the route earned the prestigious “All-American Road” designation from the U.S. Secretary of Transportation for its historic and cultural intrinsic qualities. The Great River Road is one of three National Scenic Byways in Tennessee to be designated as an All-American Road, and one of 35 to earn the rare designation nationally.