Narrative:

I was receiving the position relief briefing at the local control 2 (LC2) position; when the status of taxiway V came into question. The controller who was providing me with the briefing indicated that taxiway V was 'open;' but the information dissemination system (ids-4) indicated that taxiway V was a 'non-movement' area between txwys south and Y. The daily NOTAM log listed taxiway V 'closed' between txwys south and Y. Visual inspection of the taxiway indicated that there were no cones or barricades present. Ground control 2 (GC2) was in the process of taxiing a H/DC10 from spot X to runway 18R via taxiway V. Several controllers in the tower informed GC2 that taxiway V might be closed; but the GC2 controller said that taxiway V was open per his previous position relief briefing. The aircraft continued through the suspected area on taxiway V without incident. The supervisor later confirmed with the company ramp tower and mem operations that taxiway V was in fact closed between txwys south and Y. Construction is a daily process here at mem. The closures change daily; and throughout each day. Sometimes cones and barricades are present; sometimes not. Sometimes personnel and equipment are present; sometimes not. Sometimes the portable 'X' is on the runway; and sometimes not. Most of the time; the information is not disseminated to affected tower controllers in a manner that is useful and/or acceptable. There are paper 'notes;' a daily 'NOTAM' sheet that is created by the TRACON supervisor; the ATIS that is updated by clearance delivery; and the ids-4; which is maintained by various individuals. At any given moment; a taxiway may be listed as 'open;' 'closed;' 'non-movement' or 'unavailable.' it is often impossible to accurately determine the status of the various txwys here at mem. We need to come up with a better plan; method or checklist for ensuring that all parties are notified; and to ensure that all information sources are updated.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM LCL CTLR DESCRIBED ON-GOING PROB REGARDING LACK OF TIMELY INFO ON ARPT CLOSURES; IE; RWYS; TXWYS AND RAMP AREAS.

Narrative: I WAS RECEIVING THE POS RELIEF BRIEFING AT THE LCL CTL 2 (LC2) POS; WHEN THE STATUS OF TXWY V CAME INTO QUESTION. THE CTLR WHO WAS PROVIDING ME WITH THE BRIEFING INDICATED THAT TXWY V WAS 'OPEN;' BUT THE INFO DISSEMINATION SYS (IDS-4) INDICATED THAT TXWY V WAS A 'NON-MOVEMENT' AREA BTWN TXWYS S AND Y. THE DAILY NOTAM LOG LISTED TXWY V 'CLOSED' BTWN TXWYS S AND Y. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE TXWY INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO CONES OR BARRICADES PRESENT. GND CTL 2 (GC2) WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TAXIING A H/DC10 FROM SPOT X TO RWY 18R VIA TXWY V. SEVERAL CTLRS IN THE TWR INFORMED GC2 THAT TXWY V MIGHT BE CLOSED; BUT THE GC2 CTLR SAID THAT TXWY V WAS OPEN PER HIS PREVIOUS POS RELIEF BRIEFING. THE ACFT CONTINUED THROUGH THE SUSPECTED AREA ON TXWY V WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE SUPVR LATER CONFIRMED WITH THE COMPANY RAMP TWR AND MEM OPS THAT TXWY V WAS IN FACT CLOSED BTWN TXWYS S AND Y. CONSTRUCTION IS A DAILY PROCESS HERE AT MEM. THE CLOSURES CHANGE DAILY; AND THROUGHOUT EACH DAY. SOMETIMES CONES AND BARRICADES ARE PRESENT; SOMETIMES NOT. SOMETIMES PERSONNEL AND EQUIP ARE PRESENT; SOMETIMES NOT. SOMETIMES THE PORTABLE 'X' IS ON THE RWY; AND SOMETIMES NOT. MOST OF THE TIME; THE INFO IS NOT DISSEMINATED TO AFFECTED TWR CTLRS IN A MANNER THAT IS USEFUL AND/OR ACCEPTABLE. THERE ARE PAPER 'NOTES;' A DAILY 'NOTAM' SHEET THAT IS CREATED BY THE TRACON SUPVR; THE ATIS THAT IS UPDATED BY CLRNC DELIVERY; AND THE IDS-4; WHICH IS MAINTAINED BY VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS. AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT; A TXWY MAY BE LISTED AS 'OPEN;' 'CLOSED;' 'NON-MOVEMENT' OR 'UNAVAILABLE.' IT IS OFTEN IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCURATELY DETERMINE THE STATUS OF THE VARIOUS TXWYS HERE AT MEM. WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A BETTER PLAN; METHOD OR CHKLIST FOR ENSURING THAT ALL PARTIES ARE NOTIFIED; AND TO ENSURE THAT ALL INFO SOURCES ARE UPDATED.

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.