Vol Navy Dock Replacement

Background

Owned by the City of Knoxville and maintained by the University of Tennessee, this joint-venture provides public access from the Tennessee River to both downtown Knoxville and the UT-Knoxville Campus. Nestled between the Henley Street and Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridges on the northern bank, the Vol Navy Docks provide nearly 600 ft. of anchorage and connect directly to the Neyland Greenway.

Game days in Knoxville can see more than 50 boats tied off at the docks which also see heavy use for events such as the Bassmaster Classic or Boomsday. In addition, the docks provide additional anchorage for UT’s rowing program.

Project Description

A project in 1998 added approximately 100 ft. to each end of the original docks and represents the last major update to the facility. Twenty years of use and weathering have rotted out the wooden piles, significantly deteriorated the steel piles, and left the decking warped and damaged,

Funded by a grant from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, this project will replace all of the piles with new galvanized steel piles tall enough to sustain a 500-year flood; install ~600 ft. of new floating docks with new bumpers, cleats, and decking; and replace both gangways with new ADA-compliant gangways.

This project is funded under a grant contract with the State of Tennessee.