2022 TSITE Award Winners
The 2022 TSITE Awards were presented to the following very deserving individuals at the Summer Meeting held in Gatlinburg: (President Luke Dixon & Past President Stephen Edwards presented the awards)
The Robert Stammer Student Chapter Award was presented to the University of Memphis.
Ed Watt Volunteer Distinguished Service Award:
Kevin Cole (CDM Smith)
Tennessee Section Outstanding Individual Award:
Kevin Comstock (KCI)
Jack B. Humphreys Young Member Award:
Emily Burgess (TDOT)
Past award winners can be viewed here.
2022 Student Scholarship Recipients
The 2022 scholarship recipients were announced at the summer meeting.
William L. Moore, Jr. Scholarship Award ($2,000)
Nitesh Shah, University of Tennessee
John R. Harper Memorial Scholarship ($2,000)
Logan Sirbaugh, University of Memphis
Billy M. Hart Memorial Scholarship ($2,000)
Antora Haque, University of Tennessee – Knoxville
T. Darcy Sullivan Scholarship Award ($1,500)
Yangsong Gu, University of Tennessee – Knoxville
Bill D. Kervin, Jr. Scholarship Award ($1,500)
Mohammad Taherkhani, University of Tennessee – Knoxville
TN Section Undergraduate Scholarship Award ($1,500)
Lauren Mitchell, University of Memphis
Since 1991, TSITE has awarded 93 scholarships totaling $134,300!
Previous scholarship recipients can be viewed here.
TSITE Officer Election – Online Voting Active
Voting for the 2022 TSITE Officer Election is now open! The election will close Monday, July 25, 2022. Votes will be tallied and the elected 2022 TSITE Officers will be announced at the Summer Meeting.
2022 TSITE Smokies Baseball Social
Come on out to watch the Tennessee Smokies take on the Birmingham Barons on Tuesday, July 26th before the TSITE Summer Meeting!
Please join us for the TSITE Smokies Baseball Social
Registration: Link here to purchase tickets! (Registration to close 7/19)
What: TSITE Smokies Baseball Social
When: Tuesday, July 26, 2022
Where: Smokies Stadium
3540 Line Drive
Kodiak, TN 37764
Tickets will be in the YeeHaw at the Yard Section, which includes access to the left field party deck and a complimentary buffet (including hickory smoked pork bbq, smoked bbq chicken, baked beans, coleslaw, spinach artichoke dip with tortilla chips, hot dog bar, chocolate chip cookies and pepsi products).
2022 Summer Meeting Save the date
Please join us for the TSITE 2022 Summer Meeting in Gatlinburg, TN
What: Tennessee Section ITE 2022 Summer Meeting
When: Wednesday, July 27th – Friday, July 29th
Where: The Park Vista DoubleTree by Hilton
705 Cherokee Orchard Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Hotel room reservations are now available.
HOTEL ROOM BLOCK AVAILABLE: July 26 – July 31
ONLINE BOOKING GROUP CODE: SIT
HILTON RESERVATIONS: 1-800-421-7275
RATE: $96
CUT-OFF DATE FOR RESERVATIONS: 7/8/2022
Meeting Registration (Students and Speakers – Register free using codes “Student” or “Speaker”)
Please bring auction items for the scholarship auction on Thursday evening. Please contact Lauren Gaines at tsitesecretary@gmail.com with the item or items you intend to bring.
Spring Meeting & Social Information
Please join us for the 2022 TSITE Spring Meeting in Memphis, TN. It will include four presentations and a business meeting.
What: 2022 Tennessee Section ITE Spring Meeting
When: Wednesday, May 18th 8:30 am to 2:00 pm Central
Where: Bluff Room (Room 304)
University Center, University of Memphis
499 University Center, Memphis, TN 38152
NO HOTEL ROOM BLOCK AVAILABLE.
Parking Instructions:
1. Parking will be located in the Zach Curlin Parking Garage (which is connected to the University Center).
2. Parking passes will be provided to meeting participants at the registration desk (passes will be needed to exit the garage).
2022 Spring Meeting Social
Please join us for the a spring social prior at Wiseacre “OG” Taproom. For all local west Tennessee residents, and for everyone coming in town prior to the meeting, we hope to see you at Wiseacre Brewing the night before the Spring Meeting. Feel free to stop in and grab a drink!
What: 2022 Tennessee Section ITE Spring Meeting Social
When: Tuesday, May 17th 6:00 pm to 9:00 Central
Where: Wiseacre “OG” Taproom 2783 Broad Ave, Memphis, TN 38112
Please email local TSITE coordinator Peter Kauffmann (Peter.Kauffmann@hdrinc.com) with any questions.
Spring Meeting Save the Date
Please plan to join us for the TSITE 2022 Spring Meeting in Memphis.
Also, we are now accepting sponsors for 2022. Sponsorship details can be found here. Please sign up now to be recognized at all of our meetings this year. For more information or to become a sponsor contact our Section Administrator Brandon Baxter at bbaxter@ragansmith.com.
What: Tennessee Section ITE 2022 Spring Meeting
When: Wednesday May 18th
Where: University of Memphis
Additional details will be posted when available.
2022 Traffic Bowl Winners
The 2022 Traffic Bowl Winners! From Left to Right: Traffic Bowl Chair Trey Todd, Zach Wisniowski, Landon Davis and Logan Malotte and TSITE President Luke Dixon.
Congratulations to Tennessee Technological University for winning this year’s traffic bowl at the winter meeting in Cookeville. It was a great competition with three schools represented: The University of Tennessee, the University of Memphis and Tennessee Technological University. Tennessee Technological University will represent TSITE at the Southern District (SDITE) Annual Meeting March 27 – March 30, 2022 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Winter Meeting Registration Now Open
Please plan to join us for the TSITE 2022 Winter Meeting at Tennessee Tech University. The meeting will include technical sessions, business meeting and the student traffic bowl.
Also, we are now accepting sponsors for 2022. Sponsorship details can be found here. Please sign up now to be recognized at all of our meetings this year. For more information or to become a sponsor contact our Section Administrator Brandon Baxter at bbaxter@ragansmith.com.
What: Tennessee Section ITE 2022 Winter Meeting
When: Wednesday February 23rd
Where: Tennessee Tech University
Multipurpose Room (Room 282)
Roaden University Center (RUC)
1000 North Dixie Avenue, Cookeville, TN 38505
(Download Tennessee Tech Campus Map here)
NO HOTEL ROOM BLOCK AVAILABLE.
Parking Instructions:
1. Parking permits can be downloaded here: Meeting Parking Pass
2. Visitors will need to park in visitor spaces or the purple zone on campus (Download Campus Parking Map here)
3. If participants have to park at the far parking lot, they can use the shuttle service to get them closer to the RUC. More information about the shuttle schedule may be found here.
Podcast on the Repair of the I-40 Bridge
Highway See Releases Podcast on the Repair of the I-40 Bridge: Crisis on the Memphis Bridge
The podcast series Highway See has released a Special Episode sharing the fascinating tale of the repair on the I-40 Hernando de Soto Bridge crossing the Mississippi River. This Special Episode of Highway See reveals behind-the-scenes drama of the repair to the I-40 Bridge connecting Arkansas to Memphis, Tennessee.
On May 11, 2021, a routine inspection of the Hernando de Soto Bridge, spanning the Mississippi River, revealed a critical fracture in an integral part of the bridge’s construction. All traffic was brought to an immediately halt on Interstate I-40 and the Mississippi River below. Both are crucial arteries for national commerce.
Key leaders of the I-40 bridge repair share the dramatic initial discovery of the critical fracture, to detecting the cause, to completing the final repair leaving it better than before.
“It is truly amazing how resilient the Hernando de Soto Bridge is and that it withstood the significant fracture and still carried traffic” said Ted Kniazewycz, TDOT Director of Structures. “Following 83 days of round-the-clock work, the bridge is not only as good as it was, but really better than it was.”
The Special Episode Crisis on the Memphis Bridge features:
- Clay Bright, Former Commissioner of Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT)
- Ted Kniazewycz, Director, Structures Division at TDOT
- Chris Frieberg, Vice President and Area Manager of Kiewet Infrastructure South
- Susie Alcorn, Highway See creator and executive producer, Tennessee Infrastructure Alliance
The Hernando de Soto Bridge is jointly owned by TDOT and Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT). In their joint ownership, ARDOT has bridge inspection responsibility and TDOT maintains and repairs the bridge. It was during a routine inspection by ARDOT that the critical finding was discovered.
“We are very proud of and owe gratitude to the department officials, consultants and contractors for their work to make the bridge better today than when it was built,” said Paul Degges, Deputy Commissioner and Chief Engineer at TDOT. “Along with ARDOT, we are most thankful that no motorists and no workers were hurt.”
“Highway See illustrates how crucial roads and bridges are to our economy and collective mobility,” said Alcorn. ” Crisis on the Memphis Bridge unveils the vital role this massive two-mile long bridge plays in our national economy.”
Highway See podcast series slogan is “We hope you’ll see the highway when you’re on the road.”
Anyone can follow or subscribe to the Highway See podcast without cost through Apple or Google podcasts, Spotify or their podcast platform of choice. Listen anytime at www.HighwaySee.com.
Media resources web page is www.HighwaySee.com/newsroom.
This release is available as a PDF & Word document along with other resources in the newsroom.
Special Episode transcript here.
Show graphics here.
For more information on the podcast, please contact:
Susie Alcorn
Erin-Leigh Hennessy
615.205.2366
podcast@HighwaySee.com
For all Bridge repair inquiries, please contact:
Beth Emmons at Tennessee Department of Transportation
615.741.7736
Beth.Emmons@tn.gov
About Highway See
The Highway See podcast exists to share the stories and history of our roads and bridges. Across multiple episodes, the Highway See podcast explores from prehistory to wagon trails to the operation of our modern highway system with the communities and personalities involved across the state. Highway See is presented by Tennessee Infrastructure Alliance, narrated by Chris Hill of HumblePod, and the executive producer and creator is Susie Alcorn.
To learn more about Highway See visit: https://www.HighwaySee.com/
