/
Print
Services
Residents
Business
Visitors
Government
City of Knoxville
Blogs
City Blog
Engineering Inspector: 'Ther...
Engineering Inspector: 'There Was a Purpose, and a Need'
Every day, Engineering Department Inspector Randy Williams is out on a job site somewhere, doing a lot of measuring, testing and checking.
It's exacting and sometimes tedious work. But he says his role as part of the team that designed and oversaw the construction of the 2,000-foot-long sidewalk on Coker Avenue was "more fun" than he's had in a while.
Why? It was all about the interaction with the residents, he says - and the purpose of the project.
"This project gave kids a safe place to walk to school," says Williams, a 20-year City employee. "There was a purpose, and a need. Before, these children had to just walk down a busy street."
Belle Morris Elementary School educators say more than half the school's students get to and from school by walking.
The City invested $791,441 to build this "missing link" sidewalk on Coker Avenue between Nadine Street and Whittle Springs Road, connecting to existing sidewalks around Belle Morris Elementary.
City Engineering designed the sidewalk. Then the team - Williams, technicians, surveyors and designers - finessed the plan as needed to maximize the benefit to the residents who would be using the sidewalk.
That meant dealing with elevation changes, and the unique connections that differed from house to house. Some homes had front driveways; others had walk-ups in the front, parking in the back.
Here's a photo of one of the walk-up tie-ins, in which three steps were built to address the slope:
To serve a homeowner who uses a wheelchair, a ramp was built instead of steps. Ensuring accessibility, Williams says, is something that Engineering values highly.
"We started with a design - a road map," Williams says. "Then I become the eyes and ears for the engineers. When any of us see something that can be made better, we bring it to the team's attention. And we work together as a team. We make it work in the field when the design needs some minor changes."
This week is National Public Works Week, and City Blog is profiling a few of the front-line City employees, like Williams, who do their best to help Knoxville function more safely and smoothly.
#KnoxvilleJobWellDone
Williams, who lives on a Loudon County farm that his family has owned since 1942, emphasizes the results of the Engineering Department's team philosophy.
"Each of us plays an incremental role," he says. "Each of us carefully does our part as best we can do it. If we didn't do it that way, then we wouldn't be successful."
Posted by
evreeland
On 18 May, 2022 at 1:05 PM
Recent Posts
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
Augusta Quarry Update: New Bathrooms Built, Pathway Grading Close to Complete
Archives
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