See A Pothole, Report A Pothole, Watch It Get Fixed

Stonington’s long, cold, snowy winter may be over but many of the town’s roads are still feeling the effects. The pothole at the entrance to the on Coogan Boulevard, recently fixed, could’ve swallowed a Prius whole.

So, what if there is way to report potholes and other non-emergency issues instantaneously online, track the progress and receive a notification the minute the problem is fixed? Sounds like a good idea for anyone who was avoiding Starbucks do to that hole. That’s the basic idea behind SeeClickFix and it’s a program coming to Stonington next week.

The web-based application allows users to see a problem, snap a picture of it, and report it. Maybe it’s a pothole, or maybe trash collection is late, or maybe you're wondering about leaf collection. Once an issue is reported the user reporting gets an email thanking them for their submission and then the problem is automatically directed to the appropriate department such as the , or .

“It empowers residents to assist us,” First Selectmen Edward Haberek Jr. said.

Residents can report problems using iPhone, Blackberry and Android apps, hopefully not while driving. “I hope residents will be safe and follow the law,” Haberek said.

Anyone can also report a problem on the website and the town is hoping to integrate a map based reporting widget on the town website similar to the one on the Saugus, Massachusetts Town website. The map shows where there are problems and allows residents to comment on problems and/or “vote” on previously reported problems, similar to “liking” something on Facebook, to show it is also a problem for them.

For residents without Internet access, Haberek said the town plans to add an internal reporting system to add and track complaints issued in person or over the phone.

The entire program, which costs $100 a month, will allow the town to track efficiency Haberek said by recording how long after a problem is reported it is addressed.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Haberek said.