To Change Lanes or Not to Change Lanes?

Friday, March 18, 2011 - By Anonymous - No comments

(Photo courtesy of WBTV)

In our last blog post, we wrote about WBTV's investigation into an issue reported via SeeClickFix in Charlotte, NC. The local television station is now looking into another complaint in the same area.

This time, an anonymous user posted about the confusion many residents face while driving on North Tryon Street:
There are three lines riding up North Tryon from East Mallard. But, when you come up to the Bloom plaza that third line is really block off for you to get over in the Left lane then if your turning onto J.W. Clay then get back over in the Right lane which turns into a turning lane. Well, the problem here is that numerous people ride that lane out. I'm a safe driver licensed in GA and you will get a ticket riding over the other white lines. So, if they can just fix it and make it a third right turning lane, I will be so happy.
Another SCF user, D. Reis Daniels, agreed that the road needs to be addressed:
I almost get hit every time I use that lane because i am trying to get over where it is marked and not by riding out the crossed off lane. It is VERY unsafe. There have been MANY close calls there.
According to WBTV, there are "somewhat faded stripes, a solid lane marker stripe, and right turn arrows painted on the road." Some drivers cut across those stripes while others switch to the right lane after already passing them.

Viewed over 370 times, the issue has not been fixed since being reported five months ago. WBTV decided to contact the North Carolina Department of Transportation and received promising feedback from Jen Thompson. She said, "Our plan is to remark the lines that separate the two thru lanes from the right lane, but we will also change the lane markings to indicate a thru/right combination lane up to Normandy Drive, then dropping to a right-turn only onto Normandy."

"The contractor will be removing the existing right arrows and cross hatchings across the lanes," Thompson added. "They will be replaced with the right/thru combination arrows, skip lines, along with right arrows and the word "ONLY" approaching Normandy Drive." The news outlet said the work should begin in early April.

Keep the momentum going, WBTV!

Ben Makes CT Magazine's "40 Under 40"

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(Photo courtesy of CT Magazine)

Connecticut Magazine recently debuted its "40 Under 40" list and guess who made the cut (and front cover)? Our very own Ben Berkowitz! He was listed as part of "a new generation of leaders full of energy, ideas and the determination to steer an unswerving course into the future." Congrats, Ben!
Berkowitz is CEO and a co-founder of SeeClickFix.com, a website that allows citizens to post word of problems in their neighborhoods—such as illegal dumping or dangerous potholes—that need attention. Fixes can come from town officials or others, such as neighbors with suitable skills for the job. The site has a secondary purpose of making local government more transparent. Berkowitz says the inspiration for his site sprang from a desire to improve his own community while working with his neighbors and his government. He was named Huffington Post’s 2010 Tech Gamechanger.

WBTV Investigates Neighborhood Crime

- By Anonymous - No comments

(Photo courtesy of WBTV)

Eleven months ago, SeeClickFix user "Jen" reported issue #34221 and saw no results. Now, local television station WBTV is investigating the situation.

Having been viewed over 680 times, the issue deals with illegal activity happening on the 4400 block of S.Tryon Street in Charlotte, NC. Resident Jen wrote: "drug, prostitution, loitering, police know this. And music from cars all night [...] there have been t[w]o robberies at gun point this week and the police still do not watch this area." When WBTV spoke with local residents, they discovered that the complaints were "consistent with the issues that have been in that neighborhood."

According to WBTV, the station recently monitored the block for two days. While they did not see any suspicious activity, they said that the proper authorities, the Charlotte Mecklenburg police, have been notified of the complaint and are responding to the resident's request for additional patrols in the area.

Way to go, WBTV!

Saratogian Addresses Snow-Covered Newspaper Boxes

Thursday, March 17, 2011 - By Anonymous - No comments


Thanks to snowy conditions, the Saratogian found itself making headlines when residents started complaining about the inaccessibility to its newspaper boxes.

Using the SCF mobile app, one Saratoga Springs resident reported that he was unable to access one of their newspaper boxes last Friday because of the snow and requested they shovel around it.
"As an older person, I fell trying to buy a paper."
Three days later, the same resident reported that another newspaper box was snowed in.

Now, the Saratogian is responding. Jim Collier, the newspaper's circulation director, was initially unaware of the problem, but promised to resolve the issue. "We have a couple of guys that are supposed to be doing that," he said. "We'll get on top of it."

We're proud to partner with such a responsive media organization. Keep up the great work!

The Next Big Thing in Social Media and Politics?

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With new technology emerging daily, POLITICO recently discussed the power of location-based apps to encourage civic engagement. And guess who got a shout-out? SeeClickFix!

Possibilities for using social media to improve government services are already coming into focus. The website SeeClickFix allows people to report potholes and other problems when they encounter them — the idea being that the public airing will prod officials to get them fixed quickly.
We're honored to take part in this social networking revolution. As we like to say, improving your community is just a click away!

SeeClickFixing Potholes in Carolina Beach

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(Photo courtesy of WECT)

WECT reported that the town of Carolina Beach, NC recently patched several potholes along Greenville and South Sixth Street after someone reported the issue on SeeClickFix.

Known as "Jordan," the user said that the potholes had previously been patched, but keep reopening:
There are so many that if you meet an on-coming car, you hit them. I have hit them several times, causing my car to lose its alignment.
According to WECT, crews have temporarily repaired the potholes and will make more permanent fixes in the future. Tim Owens, the town manager of Carolina Beach, described the process: "We have patched this area using something called cold patch at the intersection of Sixth and Greenvilles. We use cold patch in the winter time when you can't pave to get us through. We will get this intersection and other areas on our maintenance schedule soon."

Know of some more potholes (or issues) in Carolina Beach? SeeClickFix them here.

Restoring Library Hours With Just One Click

Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - By Anonymous - No comments


With the recent budget cuts and subsequent layoffs in New Haven, library hours were drastically decreased starting in late February. The main library branch saw a reduction from 185 to 148 hours per month, while the neighborhood branches saw larger reductions from 136 to 96, which includes the elimination of Saturday hours. Now, residents are speaking out against the cuts and taking action via SeeClickFix.

Designated issue #86403, the "Petition to Restore Library Hours in New Haven" has seen a lot of activity since being posted 9 days ago. The issue has been viewed over 1500 times, with 123 users voting to immediately restore the eliminated hours.

According to the SeeClickFix posting, an anonymous user started the petition at the request of an elderly New Haven resident who could no longer access the Internet because of the eliminated weekend library hours. The anonymous SeeClickFix user wrote that local libraries are crucial to "public space and civic vitality in New Haven" and "should be active community hubs where neighbors can meet and cement relationships." The libraries provide many services to all members of the community, from educational resources and public computer access to providing space for residents to gather and cultivate relationships.

One SeeClickFix user, Corlis Carroll, posted that she couldn't believe the city was removing the Saturday hours:

What about the children who like to go to the library on their day off from school?
SeeClickFix helps citizens communicate and collaborate with each other and their local governments. If you want to get involved, vote to restore the library hours here. With just one click, you can help improve the lives of your neighbors!

To read more about the reduction in library hours, check out this article from the New Haven Independent.