A few days ago, I wrote about a site that I had discovered that allows you to pinpoint issues and the site reports tham to the public departments that are watching for the issues. While I cannot comment on  Chesapeake, I must commend both Newport News and Hampton’s departments for taking the site seriously. I see multiple issues from Public Works or Traffic Engineering, etc. where they have actually investigated and, in most cases, fixed the problems. Norfolk residents have not reported nearly as many issues as those on the Peninsula (mainly because the Daily Press has the map on their site – good job by the way) but those that have been reported have gotten attention. Virginia Beach seems to take the site seriously as well. VDOT, on the other hand, not so much. All of the VDOT problems recieved a standard answer:

If you would like to report a roadway problem on a state maintained interstate or county road, please contact VDOT by visiting our website. Copy and paste the website address www.VirginiaDOT.org in your browser. Click the “Travel Center” link and then “Report a Road Problem.” You can also report roadway issues by calling 1-800-367-ROAD (7623).

If you would like to report a roadway issue on a city road, please contact your local city office.

Thank you.

Lauren Hansen
VDOT Public Affairs
Hampton Roads District

Perhaps, if Ms. Hanson had spent the same amount of time recording the issues instead of blowing them off, VDOT would be viewed as a friendlier organization. Ms. Hanson (and VDOT), this site is an excellent tool for public departments such as yours to connect to the public without forcing them to navigate the complex world of a government-maintained website. SeeClickFix.com is a place where Virginia residents (VDOT’s ‘customers’) are posting their problems. If there are so many issues being reported on SeeClickFix versus VDOT’s own website, that should send the message that one is friendlier and more effective on the user end. I know that with as much as I do and with as much as I contact government organizations to ask for results, I did not even know VDOT had a report form. I assure you that the vast majority of Virginians do not know either. Please stop making things more difficult for yourselves. Just let residents know that you hear their problems and are working to fix them.