Sidewalk Replacement & Requests

Engineering Director

Thomas V. Clabo, P.E.
[email protected]
(865) 215-2148

400 Main St., Suite 475
Knoxville, TN 37902

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  Existing Sidewalk
Replacement Request
 
  Existing Sidewalk Replacement Requests are managed by the Civil Engineering Division at 865-215-6100.

The City of Knoxville has a comprehensive Existing Sidewalk Replacement Rating System whereby each sidewalk request is inspected and rated in order to determine the priority in which the sidewalk will be repaired. The rating system is based on a visual inspection by a staff member of the Civil Engineering Division. 

Based on the visual inspection, each location is scored according to the following four criteria:

• Spalling
• Pedestrian use
• Cracking
• Differential settlement

Each score is then added up to provide a total, which determines whether the sidewalk has a priority rating of 1, 2, or 3. Any sidewalk with a priority rating of 1 will have a work order written for repair or be included in the City’s annual Sidewalk Safety Program repair contract. Those sidewalks with priority ratings of 2 or 3 will be put in a database for future consideration.

 
  New Sidewalk
Request
 
  New Sidewalk Requests are managed by the Transportation Engineering Division at 865-215-6100.

In 2021, City of Knoxville developed a Citywide Sidewalk Study. The study used a proactive approach to identify sidewalk needs in the city by using sidewalk requests from the public coupled with GIS analysis.

The factors used in the GIS analysis to identify projects include Demand, Health and Equity, and Roadway Characteristics.

Some examples of the specific factors used are:

• Demand: Population and employment density, proximity to parks, schools, transit, libraries, hospitals, and employment opportunities.
• Health & Equity: Age (under 18 or over 65), non-white or Latinx communities, households without a vehicle, disability status, obesity rates, and other health factors
• Roadway: Type (arterial, collector and local), crash history

All identified projects were scored based on the above factors and cost estimates were created, and were compiled into project lists for each council district. These project lists will be provided to the City Administration to assist in selecting future sidewalk projects.

The complete Citywide Sidewalk Study is available for review, and an Executive Summary is also available.