View source for Sam Cooper Boulevard

{{Short description|Urban freeway/parkway in Memphis, Tennessee, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox street
|marker_image=
|name=Sam Cooper Boulevard
|maint=City of [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]] and [[Tennessee Department of Transportation|TDOT]]
|image=Sam Cooper Blvd E 4.jpg
|caption=
|length_mi=5.8
|length_ref=<ref name=SCRouting/>
|length_notes=
|established=
|decommissioned=
|direction_a=West
|terminus_a={{jct|state=TN|US|64|US|70|US|79|SR|277}}
|junction=
|direction_b=East
|terminus_b={{jct|state=TN|I|40|I|240|US|64|US|70|US|79|SR|1}}
}}

'''Sam Cooper Boulevard''' is an urban highway in [[Memphis, Tennessee]], United States. The more recent western segment of the road follows a [[parkway]] design, while the older eastern portion, which was proposed and constructed as a segment of [[Interstate 40 in Tennessee|Interstate 40]] (I-40), was built as a [[controlled-access highway|freeway]], without at-grade intersections and traffic lights. The western terminus of Sam Cooper Boulevard is at [[East Parkway (Memphis, Tennessee)|East Parkway North]]. At the western terminus, there is a short [[concurrency (road)|concurrency]] of East Parkway North with [[U.S. Route 64 in Tennessee|U.S. Route 64]] (US&nbsp;64), [[U.S. Route 70 in Tennessee|US&nbsp;70]], and [[U.S. Route 79 in Tennessee|US&nbsp;79]].<ref name=GoogleEP>{{google maps |title = East Parkway Memphis, Tennessee |url = https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=east+parkway+memphis&sll=35.141669,-89.982147&sspn=0.041621,0.090981&gl=us&ie=UTF8&ll=35.139371,-89.983692&spn=0.010405,0.022745&z=16 |access-date = May 18, 2009 |link = no }}</ref> From its western end, Sam Cooper Boulevard runs east for {{convert|5.8|mi|km|1}} to reach its eastern terminus at the I-40/[[Interstate 240 (Tennessee)|I-240]] interchange.<ref name=SCRouting>{{google maps |title = Sam Cooper Boulevard from East Parkway to Interstate-40/Interstate-240 Interchange |url = https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Sam+Cooper+Blvd&daddr=35.152881,-89.882884&geocode=FSRTGAIdgv6i-g%3B&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=16&sll=35.150021,-89.892626&sspn=0.010878,0.022745&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=35.150021,-89.892626&spn=0.087022,0.181961&z=13 |access-date = May 15, 2009 }}</ref>

The road was originally planned in the 1950s. It was proposed as a segment of I-40 that would intersect the center of Memphis and continue west to [[Arkansas]]. The proposed route would have cut through [[Overton Park]], an old forest public park in Memphis. Following a [[United States Supreme Court]] decision in 1971 the route was revised, I-40 was routed around Memphis in the north and plans of routing an Interstate highway through the city were abandoned. Ownership of the completed segments of the highway was transferred to the City of Memphis.<ref name=SupCourt>{{cite court |litigants = Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe |url = http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=CASE&court=US&vol=401&page=402 |vol= 401 |reporter = U.S. |opinion= 402 |via = FindLaw.com |date = March 2, 1971 |access-date = May 15, 2009 }}</ref> As a road that is owned and maintained by the City of Memphis, no route number is assigned to Sam Cooper Boulevard.<ref name=ISG40>{{cite web |title = Interstate Business Routes - Business Route 40 |url = http://www.interstate-guide.com/business-routes/bus40.html |work = Interstate-Guide.com |date = October 8, 2008 |access-date = May 17, 2009 }}{{sps|certain=yes|date=August 2022}}</ref>

==History==

===Proposed route===
[[File:Memphis, Tennessee 1955 Yellow Book.jpg|thumb|I-40/I-240 planned routes (1955)]]
In the 1950s, [[Interstate 240 (Tennessee)|I-240]] was planned as a complete loop around Memphis, consisting of a southern leg and a northern leg. [[Interstate 40 in Tennessee|I-40]] was proposed to be routed through the center of the City of Memphis and to continue west into [[Arkansas]] over the [[Hernando de Soto Bridge]], which was opened in 1973 and carries the traffic on modern I-40 over the [[Mississippi River]]. The I-240 loop was planned to route traffic not destined for Memphis around the city and to improve the flow of increasing traffic. The proposed I-240 loop would connect westbound and eastbound traffic to I-40 and southbound and northbound traffic to [[Interstate 55 in Tennessee|I-55]].<ref name=ShellMap>{{Cite map |author = The H. M. Gousha Company |title = Shell  Street Guide and Metropolitan Map of Memphis |location = Chicago |publisher = The H. M. Gousha Company |year = 1963 }}</ref><ref name=1stNatBankMap>{{Cite map |title = Memphis and Vicinity Map |author = First National Bank of Memphis |location = Memphis, Tennessee |publisher = Graphic Publications |year = 1971 }}</ref>

What is now known as Sam Cooper Boulevard was planned as a segment of I-40, intersecting Memphis and distributing eastbound and westbound traffic with a destination in Memphis within the city.<ref name=ShellMap/><ref name=1stNatBankMap/> After a U.S. Supreme Court ruling stopped the plans to complete the section of I-40 cutting through Memphis in 1971, I-40 was re-routed.<ref name=SupCourt/> The routing of modern I-40 coincides with the proposed routing of the northern leg of I-240.<ref name=ShellMap/><ref name=1stNatBankMap/><ref name=McNally/> Instead of the proposed I-240 loop around Memphis, the modern routing designates I-240 as the southern leg of the loop and I-40 as the northern leg of the loop.<ref name=McNally/>

From the west to the east, the proposed routing of Sam Cooper Boulevard coincides with the route of modern I-40 from the Hernando de Soto Bridge in [[Downtown Memphis, Tennessee|downtown Memphis]] to the modern I-40/I-240 interchange west of North Bellevue Boulevard in [[Midtown, Memphis|midtown Memphis]]. East of the I-40/I-240 interchange, the proposed route of Sam Cooper Boulevard would have been routed almost due east for circa {{convert|1.2|mi|km}}, parallel to and south of Overton Park Avenue and north of Peach Avenue until it reached Evergreen Street. From there, it would have continued northeast for about {{convert|0.5|mi|m}} to reach the intersection of Galloway Avenue and North McLean Boulevard. From there, the route would have continued roughly to the east, parallel to and about {{convert|.2|mi|m}} south of North Parkway, just south of the [[Memphis Zoo]] and cutting through the northern portion of [[Overton Park]], to connect to the western terminus of modern Sam Cooper Boulevard at East Parkway North.<ref name="ShellMap"/><ref name=1stNatBankMap/> At the western terminus of Sam Cooper Boulevard there is a concurrency of East Parkway North with [[U.S. Route 70 in Tennessee|US&nbsp;70]], [[U.S. Route 79 in Tennessee|US&nbsp;79]] for {{convert|1.2|mi|km|0}} south of Summer Avenue and north of Union Avenue. East Parkway North also overlaps [[Tennessee State Route 277|State Route 277]].<ref name=GoogleEP/>

===Namesake===
In 1968, the road was named after Sam Cooper, a Memphis businessman and longtime president of the Humko Corporation, a refinery of vegetable oils. He also was the vice president of the [[Federal Reserve Bank]] of Memphis. Cooper used his wealth to support [[St. Jude Children's Research Hospital]] and the [[University of Tennessee Health Science Center|University of Tennessee Medical School]].<ref>{{cite web |title = ISJL: Digital Archive - Memphis |url = http://www.isjl.org/history/archive/tn/memphis.html |publisher = The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life |year = 2006 |access-date = May 15, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title = A Biblical People in the Bible Belt: The Jewish Community of Memphis, Tennessee |last = Lewis |first = Selma S. |year = 1998 |publisher = Mercer University Press |location = Macon, Georgia |isbn = 0-86554-602-9 |page = 130 }}</ref>

===Citizen protests===
{{wide image|Sam Cooper Blvd USGS 1986 Topo map panorama 2.png|2300px|Proposed route of Sam Cooper Boulevard through Memphis {{noprint|(scroll for more)}}|400px|right}}
In 1971, the [[United States Supreme Court]] in the case of ''[[Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe]]'' stopped an extension of I-40 through Overton Park.<ref name=SupCourt/> Sam Cooper Boulevard was originally planned as an extension of I-40 to intersect the City of Memphis.<ref name=ShellMap/><ref name=1stNatBankMap/> The proposed route was completed as proposed east of North Highland Street and west of I-240 in [[Berclair, Memphis|Berclair]], in the northeastern quadrant of Memphis. The portion of Sam Cooper Boulevard west of North Highland Street was never built as planned.<ref>{{cite web |title = Interstate 240 Tennessee |url = http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-240_tn.html |work = Interstate-Guide.com |access-date = May 15, 2009 }}{{sps|certain=yes|date=August 2022}}</ref>

The unbuilt portion west of East Parkway North was not completed because it was proposed to go through Overton Park, the Memphis Zoo, and several historic neighborhoods of Memphis. Citizens residing in the neighborhoods of midtown Memphis along the route of the proposed highway were able to stop the route cutting through the old forest of Overton Park in the lawsuit.<ref name=SupCourt/>

Once the case was decided by the United States Supreme Court, the ownership of the completed segments of Sam Cooper Boulevard was given to the City of Memphis.<ref name=SupCourt/> Instead of following the planned route cutting through the center of Memphis, I-40 was routed around Memphis in the north. The new routing of I-40 to the north of Memphis follows the proposed northern leg of the I-240 loop.<ref name=ShellMap/><ref name=1stNatBankMap/><ref name=McNally/>

Construction of the route segment of Sam Cooper Boulevard west of North Highland Street and east of East Parkway North began in 2001 and was completed in 2003. The construction did not follow the originally proposed freeway design for the road but implemented a parkway design with at-grade intersections, a raised median, traffic lights and sidewalks for pedestrians.

===21st century===

====Extension to East Parkway====
[[File:Sam Cooper Blvd Tillman W.jpg|thumb|Tillman St intersection (2009)]]
In 2001, the City of Memphis began construction on an extension of Sam Cooper Boulevard west of the North Highland Street exit. After completion of the first phase of construction, Sam Cooper Boulevard transitioned into Broad Avenue between North Holmes Street and Vandalia Street, about {{convert|.4|mi|m}} west of North Highland Street.<ref name=McNally>{{Cite map |author = Rand McNally |title = Memphis, Tennessee City Map |location = Skokie, Illinois |publisher = [[Rand McNally]] |year = 2003 |isbn = 0-528-97484-X }}</ref> The route coinciding with Broad Avenue had several intersections with traffic signals and two major railroad crossings, creating traffic congestion at peak times. The extension of Sam Cooper Boulevard was routed about {{convert|300|to(-)|400|ft|m}} south of Broad Avenue. Several of the intersections were eliminated, a viaduct was constructed to avoid the railroad crossings and the route was extended to East Parkway North.

The original route east of North Highland Street, was designed as a six-lane freeway without intersections, traffic signals and without sidewalks for pedestrians, allowing only motorized traffic on the road. The extension of Sam Cooper Boulevard west of the North Highland Street exit was constructed as a six-lane controlled-access parkway. Pedestrians are allowed on the route on sidewalks installed on both sides of the parkway west of Vandalia Street, located about {{convert|1400|ft|m}} west of North Highland Street. The median is raised and there are at-grade intersections present equipped with traffic signals and pedestrian crossings.<ref name=SCRouting/> The segment of Sam Cooper Boulevard west of North Highland Street and east of East Parkway North was completed in 2003.

====Random shootings at cars====
In 2004, it was reported by local newsmedia that several cars driving on Sam Cooper Boulevard had been shot at randomly in the section west of Tillman Street and east of North Hollywood Street in the [[Binghampton, Memphis|Binghampton]] neighborhood. The [[Memphis Police Department]] (MPD) reported 13 shootings between August and October of that year. A spokesman for the MPD stated that only vehicle damage had occurred and that no persons were hurt in the shootings.<ref name=WMC13>{{cite news |title = And then there were 13 |url = http://www.wmcstations.com/Global/story.asp?S=2437557 |publisher = WMC-TV |work = Action News 5 |date = October 15, 2004 |access-date = May 18, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060307090106/http://www.wmcstations.com/Global/story.asp?S=2437557 |archive-date = March 7, 2006 }}</ref> Police recovered a 9&nbsp;mm bullet from the front door of one vehicle.<ref>{{cite news |title = Four new reports about vehicles being shot at on Sam Cooper Boulevard |url = http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2426650 |publisher = WMC-TV |work = Action News 5 |date = October 13, 2004 |access-date = May 18, 2009 }}</ref> A special police task force was assigned to the case.<ref name=WMC13/> It is not known if the shooter was caught.

====Revitalization attempts====
[[File:Broad Ave Binghampton Memphis TN 3.jpg|thumb|Broad Avenue (2010)]]
In 2006, citizens from the Binghampton neighborhood of Memphis voiced concerns about negative effects that the completion of the western portion of Sam Cooper Boulevard has had on the community. Claims were made that construction of the road between North Highland Street and East Parkway North cut the Binghampton area in half by creating "high-speed traffic" and "confusing traffic patterns".{{cn|date=August 2022}}<!--direct quotations require direct citations.--> It was mentioned that the routing of Sam Cooper Boulevard to the south of Broad Avenue had "effectively made" the circa {{convert|1.4|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} stretch of Broad Avenue a "ghost town", creating vacant lots in the partly industrial area and an unsafe neighborhood.<ref name=MemFlyer>{{cite news |title = Bringing Back Binghamton |url = http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/Content?oid=oid%3A12031 |first = Mary |last = Cashiola |work = Memphis Flyer |date = February 10, 2006 |access-date = May 17, 2009 }}</ref>

The ''[[Memphis Flyer]]'' cites Robert Montague, executive director of the Binghampton Development Corporation: "When they built Sam Cooper, this area really got buried".{{cn|date=August 2022}} Citizens suggested changes in the zoning and a re-design of the Broad Avenue area north of Sam Cooper Boulevard and south of Summer Avenue to re-vitalize that part of the neighborhood and attract business and residents.<ref name=MemFlyer/> The following year, trees and shrubs were planted alongside Sam Cooper Boulevard and in the median west of North Highland Street. A few decorative flowerbeds were also installed in the median of the road to enhance the parkway design of the road.

==Major intersections==

===Proposed exits===
[[File:Sam Cooper Blvd Ped E Exit Graham.jpg|thumb|Exit 8 at Graham St (2009)]]
Sam Cooper Boulevard is owned and maintained by the City of Memphis.<ref name=SupCourt/> No route number is assigned to Sam Cooper Boulevard and it is not a designated [[business route]] for Interstate traffic headed for Memphis.<ref name=ISG40/> The [[exit number]]ing system on Sam Cooper Boulevard has not been changed since the route was planned. The exits are still numbered as if I-40 ran along Sam Cooper Boulevard as it was proposed straight through Memphis to connect to Arkansas over the Hernando de Soto Bridge. In fact, overhead gantry signs still told westbound motorists that they were heading towards Little Rock until the lettering was removed from the signs in March 2016.{{cn|date=August 2022}}

The exits for I-40 along the proposed route segment through the center of Memphis, west of East Parkway North, that was never completed were planned in downtown Memphis (planned as exit&nbsp;1), at Danny Thomas Boulevard (planned as exit&nbsp;2), west of North Bellevue Boulevard as an interchange with modern-day I-240 (planned as exit&nbsp;3) and at Stonewall Street in the [[Evergreen, Memphis|Evergreen District]] of midtown Memphis (planned as exit&nbsp;4). I-40 exits were proposed at East Parkway North (planned as exit&nbsp;5) and Tillman Street (planned as exit&nbsp;6).<ref name=1stNatBankMap/>

The planned exit&nbsp;1 along Sam Cooper Boulevard exists as exit&nbsp;1 and exit&nbsp;1A of modern-day I-40 in downtown Memphis just south of the [[Pyramid Arena]]. Exit&nbsp;1 serves traffic to and from North Riverside Drive and Front Street; at exit&nbsp;1A westbound traffic exits to North 2nd Street and eastbound traffic enters I-40 from North 3rd Street. Planned exit&nbsp;2 coincides with modern exits&nbsp;1B–D on I-40 at Danny Thomas Boulevard. Planned exit&nbsp;3 exists as exit&nbsp;1E on modern I-40 at the I-40/I-240 interchange west of North Bellevue Boulevard in the [[Medical District, Memphis|Medical district]] of Memphis. Planned exit&nbsp;4 at Stonewall Street was never constructed. Planned exit&nbsp;5 is an at-grade intersection with traffic signals at the western terminus of Sam Cooper Boulevard at East Parkway North, and planned exit&nbsp;6 is an at-grade intersection with traffic lights at Tillman Street. Exits&nbsp;7–9 and Exits&nbsp;10A and 10B were constructed as proposed.<ref name=McNally/>

===Existing intersections===
[[File:Overton Park Billboard Sam Cooper at E Parkway Memphis TN 5.jpg|thumb|Western terminus (2010)]]
The following table lists the existing exits and intersections of Sam Cooper Boulevard as of 2017 from west to east.<ref name=SCRouting/> {{jcttop|exit|state=TN|county=Shelby|location=Memphis}}
{{TNint|exit
|type=
|mile=0.0
|exit=
|road={{jct|state=TN|US|64|US|70|US|79|SR|277|name3=[[East Parkway (Memphis, Tennessee)|East Parkway North]]}}
|notes=Western terminus}}
{{TNint|exit
|mile=1.2
|place=Western end of freeway section}}
{{TNint|exit
|mile=2.1
|exit=7
|road=Highland Street
|notes=}}
{{TNint|exit
|mile=3.1
|exit=8
|road=Graham Street
|notes=}}
{{TNint|exit
|mile=4.2
|exit=9
|road=Perkins Road
|notes=}}
{{TNint|exit
|type=incomplete
|mile=5.5
|exit=10
|road={{jct|state=TN|I|40|I|240|dir1=west|dir2=west|location1=[[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]]|location2=[[Jackson, Mississippi|Jackson, MS]]}}
|notes=Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; signed as exits 10A (I-240) and 10B (I-40); exit 12B on I-40; eastern terminus and exit 12B on I-240}}
{{TNint|exit
|mile=5.8
|road={{jct|state=TN|I|40|dir1=east|city1=Nashville}}
|notes=Eastern terminus; exit 10B on I-40}}
{{jctbtm|keys=incomplete,unbuilt}}

==Points of interest==
{{wide image|Sam Cooper Blvd Broad Ave USGS 1986 DOQ.png|750px|Sam Cooper Blvd. transition into Broad Ave. (Source: [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]], 1986)|500px|right}}
Points of interest along Sam Cooper Boulevard (west to east).

* [[Memphis Zoo]], {{convert|.5|mi|m}} west of the western terminus
* [[Memphis Brooks Museum of Art]], {{convert|.5|mi|m}} west of the western terminus
* [[Overton Park]] at the western terminus
* [[Memphis National Cemetery]], {{convert|2|mi|km}} north of Highland Street exit
* Site of the first [[Berclair, Memphis#First Holiday Inn|Holiday Inn]] hotel, {{convert|.5|mi|m}} east of Perkins Road exit
* [[Wolf River (Tennessee)|Wolf River]] at the eastern terminus
* [[Shelby Farms|Shelby Farms Park]], {{convert|2|mi|km}} east of the eastern terminus

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://ww2.tdot.state.tn.us/tsw/smartmap.htm?city=Memphis TDOT smartway Information System]
* [http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/cctv/cctvmemp/CCTV_65.asp TDOT smartway traffic camera at Sam Cooper Boulevard and Perkins Street]
* [http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/cctv/cctvmemp/CCTV_64.asp TDOT smartway traffic camera at Sam Cooper Boulevard and Graham Street]
* [http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/cctv/cctvmemp/CCTV_63.asp TDOT smartway traffic camera at Sam Cooper Boulevard and High Point Terrace]
* [http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/cctv/cctvmemp/CCTV_62.asp TDOT smartway traffic camera at Sam Cooper Boulevard and Highland Street]

{{Memphis, Tennessee}}

[[Category:Transportation in Memphis, Tennessee]]
[[Category:Freeways in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Interstate 40]]
[[Category:Transportation in Shelby County, Tennessee]]