A New Approach to Road Repair
May 19, 2009

When it comes to achieving accountability in City Hall, I have a simple principle: What gets measured gets done.

Potholes are a prime example of how our city could do better with a real 311 service. For those who are unfamiliar, 311 is a simple, intuitive number to call for non-emergency municipal services. Moreover, it’s a performance-tracking instrument to measure how well we deliver city services. With 311, the City would receive a high volume of calls about the state of our streets, and, like many other cities, we would have better data to evaluate street repair needs.

Instead, we identify those needs from Public Works Department inspectors, whose methodology was described in a 2007 audit from KPMG as “totally subjective” and “unsupported by any record, database, or planned survey.” If residents want to call in to report potholes, they have to dial the Mayor’s hotline: 617-635-4500. But the hotline’s abilities are limited, and its profile and call volume are too low to account for every pothole need in Boston.

It’s time for us to embrace new ideas and new technology. Boston needs performance-based management, and that starts with 311.