City officials look at new tool to pave problem potholes
Posted Jul 25, 2012 8:09 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Help could soon be on the way for Calgarians and their vehicle’s shocks; city officials are working on a new mobile phone application to help fix problem potholes.
They’re hoping it will do two things: make the repair process more efficient and transparent and show drivers their rut in the road hasn’t gotten lost in red tape.
All users have to do is download the app, take a picture of the pothole and upload it to the city’s site along with the location.
From there, it’s sent to one of 100 iPads that will be doled out to foremen across the city.
They dispatch a repair crew and then update the website as the pothole is being fixed.
The idea and pilot project still has to be approved by city council, but if given the green light it could be ready to go by the fall.
Ward 4 Alderman Gael MacLeod is excited about the new idea.
“It is a bit of money but if we can do things more efficiently, we can save things on the other end,” she tells 660News.
If the pilot proves successful, MacLeod is hopeful the application can also be used for reporting things such as graffiti.
The program would cost $185,000 total; $85,000 for the new tablets alone.
Alderman Peter Demong spent much of Tuesday trying to convince his colleagues that it would be a wise way to spend city money.
“It’s going to be amazing, it is so simple even I could use it,” he says. “Simply punch a few buttons on your iPhone or iPad, take a picture and you have now reported a pothole or a broken light.”
Demong calls it the next stage of evolution, showing the city can change with the times.
“I’m hoping once this is well received in the roads department, it will transplant itself into parks and other departments,” he says.
A spokesman for the Calgary’s Transportation Department says they’ve already begun to give out tablets to a handful of foremen in the field.
Sean Somers tells 660News so far, the new iPads have been well received.
“The tablets also have the ability to monitor calendars, email and their day-to-day work,” he says. “Really it’s given them a lot more flexibility to do their job.”
Council will make the final decision on whether or not to move ahead with the pilot project on Monday.
