Narrative:

I was working ground control #1 during a north operation. Mem was landing and departing runway 27; runway 36L; and runway 36R. Runway 36C was being used as an arrival runway only due to construction on taxiway a between taxiway C and taxiway south. The tower supervisor advised everyone in the tower cabin attendant that after the traffic on 5 mi final to runway 27; that runway 27 would be released to ground control. This procedure is a daily routine that allows ground control #1 and #2 to cross runway 27 without coordination with local control #2. I heard the tower supervisor coordination with the TRACON supervisor for the release of runway 27 to ground control. When the supervisor personally informed me that runway 27 had been officially released to ground control #1 and ground control #2; I placed the 'runway 27 released to ground control' strips at local #1; ground control #1; and ground control #2 position. The supervisor then entered 'runway 27 released to ground control' in the stars work station notes area. After several mins; I noticed that the stars system information area still had runway 27 listed as an active runway. I listened to the ATIS; and the ATIS still had runway 27 listed as an active arrival and departure runway. I then asked the tower supervisor if he wanted to remove runway 27 from the system information area and ATIS; and he indicated that this should be accomplished. I then asked clearance delivery to update the system information area and the ATIS to correct this situation. Runway 27 is released each and every day to ground control #1 and ground control #2 for taxi and crossing purposes. Each and every time that the runway is released to ground control #1 and ground control #2; there is some form of coordination that is omitted. We are not 'closing the loop' on this aspect of our operation; and confusion results each and every time that runway 27 is released to ground control #1 and ground control #2. The same type of coordination errors result when runway 27 is given back to local control #2. There are too many distrs in the tower as it is. This operation (and related coordination errors) is an accident waiting to happen. Our facility needs to ensure that a checklist is followed each and every time runway 27 is released to ground control or given back to local control. The release of runway 27 should be accomplished in a smooth and methodical manner without distrs or interruptions. All of the coordination related to the release of runway 27 should be accomplished by a controller or supervisor who are not involved in any other duties. We need to fix this before 2 aircraft actually get together in the middle of runway 27.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM TWR CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING LACK OF COMPLETE COORD EFFORTS REGARDING THE USE OF RWY 27 FOR TAXIING ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING GND CTL #1 DURING A N OP. MEM WAS LNDG AND DEPARTING RWY 27; RWY 36L; AND RWY 36R. RWY 36C WAS BEING USED AS AN ARR RWY ONLY DUE TO CONSTRUCTION ON TXWY A BTWN TXWY C AND TXWY S. THE TWR SUPVR ADVISED EVERYONE IN THE TWR CAB THAT AFTER THE TFC ON 5 MI FINAL TO RWY 27; THAT RWY 27 WOULD BE RELEASED TO GND CTL. THIS PROC IS A DAILY ROUTINE THAT ALLOWS GND CTL #1 AND #2 TO CROSS RWY 27 WITHOUT COORD WITH LCL CTL #2. I HEARD THE TWR SUPVR COORD WITH THE TRACON SUPVR FOR THE RELEASE OF RWY 27 TO GND CTL. WHEN THE SUPVR PERSONALLY INFORMED ME THAT RWY 27 HAD BEEN OFFICIALLY RELEASED TO GND CTL #1 AND GND CTL #2; I PLACED THE 'RWY 27 RELEASED TO GND CTL' STRIPS AT LCL #1; GND CTL #1; AND GND CTL #2 POS. THE SUPVR THEN ENTERED 'RWY 27 RELEASED TO GND CTL' IN THE STARS WORK STATION NOTES AREA. AFTER SEVERAL MINS; I NOTICED THAT THE STARS SYS INFO AREA STILL HAD RWY 27 LISTED AS AN ACTIVE RWY. I LISTENED TO THE ATIS; AND THE ATIS STILL HAD RWY 27 LISTED AS AN ACTIVE ARR AND DEP RWY. I THEN ASKED THE TWR SUPVR IF HE WANTED TO REMOVE RWY 27 FROM THE SYS INFO AREA AND ATIS; AND HE INDICATED THAT THIS SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED. I THEN ASKED CLRNC DELIVERY TO UPDATE THE SYS INFO AREA AND THE ATIS TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION. RWY 27 IS RELEASED EACH AND EVERY DAY TO GND CTL #1 AND GND CTL #2 FOR TAXI AND XING PURPOSES. EACH AND EVERY TIME THAT THE RWY IS RELEASED TO GND CTL #1 AND GND CTL #2; THERE IS SOME FORM OF COORD THAT IS OMITTED. WE ARE NOT 'CLOSING THE LOOP' ON THIS ASPECT OF OUR OP; AND CONFUSION RESULTS EACH AND EVERY TIME THAT RWY 27 IS RELEASED TO GND CTL #1 AND GND CTL #2. THE SAME TYPE OF COORD ERRORS RESULT WHEN RWY 27 IS GIVEN BACK TO LCL CTL #2. THERE ARE TOO MANY DISTRS IN THE TWR AS IT IS. THIS OP (AND RELATED COORD ERRORS) IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. OUR FACILITY NEEDS TO ENSURE THAT A CHKLIST IS FOLLOWED EACH AND EVERY TIME RWY 27 IS RELEASED TO GND CTL OR GIVEN BACK TO LCL CTL. THE RELEASE OF RWY 27 SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED IN A SMOOTH AND METHODICAL MANNER WITHOUT DISTRS OR INTERRUPTIONS. ALL OF THE COORD RELATED TO THE RELEASE OF RWY 27 SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED BY A CTLR OR SUPVR WHO ARE NOT INVOLVED IN ANY OTHER DUTIES. WE NEED TO FIX THIS BEFORE 2 ACFT ACTUALLY GET TOGETHER IN THE MIDDLE OF RWY 27.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.