There’s an App for That!

Ever wonder if there was an easier way to find those pesky problem areas in your city?  There’s an app for that.  There are a number of apps designed to aid Public Works in tracking the areas that need repairs and/or attention. 

How does it work?

The most popular app is SeeClickFix.   The city would need to establish a portal with SeeClickFix, and then notify their residents of the availability.  The residents would have to download the app on their smart phone and report any issues to the Public Works Department.

What do the citizens report?

The citizens can report anything from downed trees or graffiti to potholes or sidewalk cracks via this app. 

Why do we need this?

With the diminishing resources we all deal with as a public entity, it is more important than ever to do more with less.  This creates more tasks for fewer people in less time, which then makes it more difficult for the Public Works Departments to identify all of the problem areas throughout the city.  The app can make the citizens their “eyes and ears”. 

Not a fan of the app?

There are a number of additional apps available that provide the same service as SeeClickFix.  Here is a short, but certainly not comprehensive list of the available apps:

Cartegraph  http://www.cartegraph.com/

CitySourced  http://www.citysourced.com/default.aspx

Connected Bits http://www.connectedbits.com/

By: Tara A. Bursey