iPhone pothole reports: Would it work in Baltimore?
In Baltimore, you phone in a report on a pothole or street trash and wait weeks or months for something to be done. In Eindhoven, the Netherlands, from now on, you take a picture of the problem, record the GPS coordinates and send a problem ticket to the authorities via your iPhone BuitenBeter app.
Here is the description, from Springwise:
A combination of GPS and maps lets users pinpoint the exact location of the problem, providing city workers with all the information they need to identify and resolve the problem.The application covers a wide range of familiar nuisances, from broken sidewalks to loitering youth (who will hopefully respond favourably to having their picture taken by concerned citizens). Compared with lodging a complaint by phone or in writing, BuitenBeter creates a nearly frictionless experience and will no doubt prompt a wider group of people to become active reporters of issues that need the city's attention.
HT Marginal Revolution.
UPDATE: Thanks to Jack of Howard County bicycling advocates for noting the counties use of www.seeclickfix.com to deal with these kinds of problems quickly. Wonder if it works.
Comments
There is a web site - www.seeclickfix.com - that we are using in Howard County to provide road reports to Public Works from cyclists and they are using to indicate repair status. It has a great interface, and both Blackberry and iphone apps for reports or for road crews are available. The Atlanta Bicycling Coalition uses this for road safety issues in addition to damage reports.
Jack
Bicycling Advocates of HC
Posted by: Jack | May 3, 2010 11:16 AM
You guys can already do it and the city is responding to the reports!!!
Its freeto citizens and city: http://www.seeclickfix.com/apps/
Download the iPhone app and try it out - alert is sent by email to Public Works
Posted by: Ben | May 3, 2010 12:57 PM
Hi Jay,
The Baltimore Sun had posted SeeClickFix's widget on this website back in February, which helped publicize the service in Baltimore.
Check out the widget here:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/commuting/bal-potholes-map,0,7363428.htmlpage
You can use SeeClickFix's apps to report issues, do it through the website www.seeclickfix.com, or through a widget on a partner website.
Posted by: Zak | May 3, 2010 3:25 PM
Pittsburgh also has an app for that, called iBurgh and created by some CMU researchers:
http://www.cmu.edu/homepage/computing/2009/fall/iburgh.shtml
Posted by: steve borbash | May 6, 2010 9:05 AM
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Posted by: Travis Tish | August 23, 2011 1:23 PM