PEexplorersTraffic

Engineering Explorers Post
hosted by
City of Knoxville Traffic Engineering
Saturday, November 3, 2001

Our November meeting was held at City of Knoxville Traffic Engineering's office. Our host was Ernie "Skip" Pierce. Let us first say that Skip LOVES HIS JOB! What an enthusiastic and energetic engineer. Skip's wife Teresa (also a professional engineer) and their five-year-old daughter, Maggie, assisted with hosting duties. Bucket truck operator, Hal Pena, gave rides in the bucket. Skip has a Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering and a Masters in Public Works. He said he would retire from this job when he dies.

We first visited the room where all the computers are set up to manage and regulate the traffic signals for the City of Knoxville. We moved to the sign and signal shop and learned how large those traffic signals really are, how signage is handled, in-stock items stored, and then we moved outside to check out the bucket trucks.

Among other things, we learned:

	How does traffic engineering work with road designers and make arrangements for more lanes, turn lanes, how many seconds the light will take to change, etc.
	Why the red lights at some of the major intersections are so hard to get through around 6:15 in the morning -- they are resetting themselves.
	How is it decided where a traffic light will be installed? Traffic signal timing, how signals work, e.g., detector loops, pedestrian signals, etc.
	What makes the flashers come on in the school zones?
	Who replaced all the thousands of light bulbs throughout the city?
	What does it feel like way up in the air in one of those truck buckets?
	What do they use the "hose" counts for?
	We are all supposed to call the Traffic Engineering office or the Police Department and report when a traffic light is having problems. Don't assume someone else will call. Lights can be "malfunctioning" for days if nobody reports it.

It was perfect weather, perfect host, perfect Krispy Kremes and Pizza!

Check out a few of the photos: (Click on image to enlarge)

Computer room where signals are managed	*In-stock signals in the sign and signal shop*	*Using the guys as scale*
*Bucket truck operator, Hal Pena, took us for a ride*	*Up, up and away*