Alli’s Perspective: A Day With the Construction Inspectors

Each summer, the City of Madison Engineering Division has a Communications Public Information Officer intern. In 2023, Alli Kohlstadt, a civil engineering student at University of Wisconsin-Platteville shared her perspective on the Engineering Division Blog, specifically about what she learned while working at her internship at the City of Madison Engineering Division.

I was able to shadow two different construction inspectors to see what they do on a daily basis. I started the day shadowing Construction Inspector Shawn Beer. We first looked at a construction project downtown Madison where the medians were extended to create a safer pedestrian/bike crossing. The role Shawn played was ensuring the sidewalk grading was compliant with ADA standards, as well as filling out forms to keep track of payments for the project. The second project we visited was the Wilson/Broom reconstruction. While I was there I got to see a sewer lateral installation. The third project we went to was a concrete pavement installation. Concrete pavement is not common, especially in Madison. I also learned at that project site that the construction inspectors are there to advise, and ensure the project is following the plan. 

My afternoon was spent with Construction Inspector Rachel Belohlavek. She showed me several projects that were getting repaved. I got to see the road get milled, torn up, and then watched an asphalt installation. Rachel explained to me how as a construction inspector, she oversees the quality of work that is being done. I also learned a lot about asphalt, specifically about how it is key to keep track of the temperature to prevent cracks in the future. Additionally, I learned asphalt is more commonly used as a road repair because of its lower cost, and because asphalt can be driven on, in just two hours after it is initially laid. Since this season Rachel oversees 12 construction projects, we continued on to take a look at a big flood mitigation project she oversees. This project includes about four large retention ponds and a bridge for a future neighborhood. The day came to an end shortly after visiting a few more project sites.

My day with the construction inspectors was eventful and fun. I never knew exactly the role construction inspectors served until my day shadowing them. The big takeaways are the inspectors are there to oversee the construction, advise the team, and to ensure everything is getting done according to the plans.

A big thanks to Rachel and Shawn for letting me tag along!

Check back for our next round of intern perspectives, as we host another 2024 intern this summer!