City of Knoxville, TN
04/02/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 04/02/2026 09:43
Rebuilt Greenway Zig Zag Bridge Reopens
One of the most iconic sections of one of Knoxville's most popular greenways is reopening tomorrow (Friday, April 3).
Third Creek Greenway's Zig Zag Bridge - formally named the Ulmer Bridge - has been completely rebuilt in less than two months by the City's Public Service Department. The 200-foot-long bridge honors John Ulmer, a bicycling enthusiast and planner in the 1970s who helped develop the greenway.
"This is a significant rebuild," says Alison Bullock, the City's Parks and Greenways Coordinator. "Parts of the original bridge were rotten and in bad shape - there was even a large hole. So the crew took it down to the 8-by-8-foot posts. All they kept was the metal railing. Public Service did an amazing job."
Public Service Deputy Director Chris Webster says he's proud of the project team, who demonstrated skill and care in accomplishing a difficult assignment.
"It's a total new bridge," Webster said. "The crew took it all the way down to the frame, the posts. They used top-quality pressure-treated lumber. This new bridge will be around for a long time."
One upgrade, which greenway runners and bicyclists will applaud: The slick shingles covering the deck are gone. Safety treads - metal strips attached to the deck - will dramatically improve traction.
Here's a "before" photo, showing a sizable hole in the Zig Zag Bridge last winter:
And here's what the rebuilt bridge looks like now:
Public Service Facilities crew members who rebuilt the bridge were: Parkey Kelley and Kevin Johnson (foremen), Tim Huffman, Tim Johnson, Thomas Melton, Jody Dykes, Brendan Buckner, Benny Burrell, Philip Patty, Josh LeClair and Boyd Rutherford.
Horticulture employees who joined the project were: Mark Navarro, Zach Gilkey, Colby Nixon, Darrell Evans, Erickson Mesa, Roy Strevel, Phillip Wrinkle, Tony Walker, Clayton Curtis, Denim Thames, Jonathan Parker, Nicholas Ferro and Ryan Crawford.
Meanwhile, in another project:
James White Greenway
Repairs to the James White Greenway, just east of Volunteer Landing on the North Waterfront, are progressing.
Also a major undertaking being done in-house by the Public Service Department, this greenway is set to reopen in about a month.
Beaten by the forces of erosion and gravity, a 400-foot section of the greenway's asphalt surface was disintegrating and the railing was falling toward the river. Since February, weather permitting, crews have been removing the existing asphalt and railing, rebuilding the subgrade, pouring concrete, and reinforcing the steep riverbank. A new fence along this section of the greenway will be installed as the work progresses.
In addition, crews have smoothed and improved the railroad track crossing on the western end of James White Greenway, near where it begins at Volunteer Landing.
Third Creek Greenway's Zig Zag Bridge - formally named the Ulmer Bridge - has been completely rebuilt in less than two months by the City's Public Service Department. The 200-foot-long bridge honors John Ulmer, a bicycling enthusiast and planner in the 1970s who helped develop the greenway.
"This is a significant rebuild," says Alison Bullock, the City's Parks and Greenways Coordinator. "Parts of the original bridge were rotten and in bad shape - there was even a large hole. So the crew took it down to the 8-by-8-foot posts. All they kept was the metal railing. Public Service did an amazing job."
Public Service Deputy Director Chris Webster says he's proud of the project team, who demonstrated skill and care in accomplishing a difficult assignment.
"It's a total new bridge," Webster said. "The crew took it all the way down to the frame, the posts. They used top-quality pressure-treated lumber. This new bridge will be around for a long time."
One upgrade, which greenway runners and bicyclists will applaud: The slick shingles covering the deck are gone. Safety treads - metal strips attached to the deck - will dramatically improve traction.
Here's a "before" photo, showing a sizable hole in the Zig Zag Bridge last winter:
And here's what the rebuilt bridge looks like now:
Public Service Facilities crew members who rebuilt the bridge were: Parkey Kelley and Kevin Johnson (foremen), Tim Huffman, Tim Johnson, Thomas Melton, Jody Dykes, Brendan Buckner, Benny Burrell, Philip Patty, Josh LeClair and Boyd Rutherford.
Horticulture employees who joined the project were: Mark Navarro, Zach Gilkey, Colby Nixon, Darrell Evans, Erickson Mesa, Roy Strevel, Phillip Wrinkle, Tony Walker, Clayton Curtis, Denim Thames, Jonathan Parker, Nicholas Ferro and Ryan Crawford.
Meanwhile, in another project:
James White Greenway
Repairs to the James White Greenway, just east of Volunteer Landing on the North Waterfront, are progressing.
Also a major undertaking being done in-house by the Public Service Department, this greenway is set to reopen in about a month.
Beaten by the forces of erosion and gravity, a 400-foot section of the greenway's asphalt surface was disintegrating and the railing was falling toward the river. Since February, weather permitting, crews have been removing the existing asphalt and railing, rebuilding the subgrade, pouring concrete, and reinforcing the steep riverbank. A new fence along this section of the greenway will be installed as the work progresses.
In addition, crews have smoothed and improved the railroad track crossing on the western end of James White Greenway, near where it begins at Volunteer Landing.
City of Knoxville, TN published this content on April 02, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 02, 2026 at 15:44 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]