Bump, bump… swerve! After a long, harsh winter, potholes are back.
Potholes aren’t just a nuisance on your daily commute. They can be a real drain on your wallet if your vehicle is damaged by one. They are also a leading cause of car accidents since drivers often brake quickly or swerve unexpectedly to avoid them.
Some cities are turning to interactive, online solutions when it comes time to dealing with these pain-in-the-butt potholes. The solutions aim to increase the efficiency of reporting and repairing potholes and to get drivers more involved.
In addition to being able to report potholes, some programs also include the status of the repair request, when a pothole was repaired and how long it took to repair it.
If you live in one of these cities, take advantage of this new way to report potholes (and make a mental note of which streets to avoid).
Five cities using technology to report potholes
- Chicago: The Windy City’s Pothole Tracker shows which potholes got patched within the last week at the click of a mouse.
- Indianapolis: The Indy Pothole Viewer features a map that’s currently littered with colored dots showing lots of potholes in need of repair. The site lets you report potholes and check the status of your pothole request.
- Philadelphia: Philly’s Pothole Tracker also allows you to view and report potholes. It also lets you filter the requests to see which pothole cases are open, closed and acknowledged.
- Rochester, New York: A local newspaper runs this interactive map that lets visitors see where potholes are located, read a running narrative about which areas and roads to avoid, and report potholes.
- Washington, D.C.: In the nation’s capital, The Washington Post hosts an interactive map that alerts drivers to dangers on the road. Over in “The Gripe” section, visitors can report potholes. The paper then alerts the appropriate city or agency about the request.
These websites can help you avoid potholes and the damage they can do to your car. Of course, it’s still a good idea to drive safely during pothole season. It’s also worth remembering that you might be able to file a pothole claim with your city.
Read the full story from Erie Insurance: “Cities Experiment with a New Way to Report Potholes“