/
Print
Services
Residents
Business
Visitors
Government
City of Knoxville
Blogs
City Blog
Public Works Week: Meet Sign...
Public Works Week: Meet Sign-maker Keith Black
There are tens of thousands of people in Knoxville who don't personally know Keith Black, but they see his handiwork every day.
Black, a 28-year City of Knoxville employee, is the guy who single-handedly makes as many as 8,000 traffic signs every year.
Talk about a production assembly line. That's roughly 167 metal signs hand-crafted each week, advising motorists to stop, yield, use caution, merge or where and when to park.
During National Public Works Week, City Blog is profiling a few of the front-line City employees whom Knoxville relies on to function more safely and smoothly.
#KnoxvilleJobWellDone
"I make them all," says Black, who works in the Engineering Department's Sign Shop. "I make pretty much anything dealing with speed limits, street names, or anything special that a motorist needs to know."
But Black isn't content to just take work orders as they roll in and check a box when they're done. He's got a sense of ownership in the look and functionality of his city's signs. For years, he's been on a mission to ferret out and replace old signs that are bent, faded and illegible.
He's a consummate professional - and maybe a perfectionist.
"When I was a sign installer, I'd look for those old signs," he says. "After hours, I'd see one, and I'd report it. I got ribbed a little bit for that, but once a sign gets to be 40 years old, you can't read them. It's a safety issue.
"Besides, everyone should have good-looking signs. Those old signs didn't have the block numbers, or the white trim. And as they aged, they just didn't look nice anymore."
So how can one man make so many signs?
About five years ago, the City of Knoxville became the first government in Tennessee to start digitally printing its signs. It invested in state-of-the-art equipment that can design, color and print signs - and bypass the decades-old laborious process of making cut-outs.
Not only is it faster, but it also allows the Sign Shop to create unique one-of-kind signs with tailored messages.
"I enjoy creating signs, and I love my job," says Black. "I find it to be peaceful. And I take a lot of pride in my work. I'm kind of old school. I never say 'That's good enough' when it's not perfect."
Posted by
evreeland
On 17 May, 2022 at 12:37 PM
Recent Posts
Stadium Update: Concrete Poured for Plazas, First Trees Planted, Streetscapes Improvements Under Way
Work Begins on Sevier Avenue Streetscapes; Look for Regularly Scheduled Project Updates
Postcard Photo of Augusta Quarry in Snow: Check Out the 9 New Swim Platforms!
Revolutionary War Veteran Honored With Victor Ashe Park Gravesite Restoration
Smokies Baseball and One Knox Soccer: Careful Collaboration Makes for 'A Great Fit'
12 Days of Public Service
Popular Market Square Ice Rink Set Attendance Record in 2023; On Pace to Set New Record This Year
Bike/ped safety improvements on Henley Bridge benefit all road users
Bracing for Winter's Wrath: City Plans for Snowy Weather, Stocks Up, Is Ready!
Henley Bridge Lights Might Rival Rudolph's Red Nose
Archives
February 2025 (1)
January 2025 (4)
December 2024 (5)
November 2024 (1)
October 2024 (5)
September 2024 (1)
August 2024 (2)
July 2024 (2)
June 2024 (1)
May 2024 (1)
April 2024 (4)
March 2024 (3)
Group Blogs
City Blog
KAT Blog
KPD News & Alerts
Magnolia Avenue Streetscapes Project
More...
Post Categories
City Events
City Services
Cumberland Ave.
Downtown
Government
KAT
Mayor Kincannon
Meetings
Neighborhoods
Outdoor & Recreation
Public Safety
Redevelopment
Road Work
South Waterfront
Sustainability
Content Alert Subscription
Blog Feeds
Podcast Feeds
Subscribe to Email Alerts