WIS-TV Hits the Streets with SeeClickFix

SeeClickFix media partner WIS-TV in Columbia, SC hit the streets this week to investigate an issue reported by one of their viewers. Issue #153450 - Need Stop Lights - highlights a deceptively dangerous intersection that many fear could lead to serious injuries if something isn't done.

After an anonymous viewer reported the issue through the SeeClickFix widget on the WIS-TV website, another viewer logged on and left a comment, adding important information about the intersection at Clemson and Percival. Vickie Covino wrote:

A stop light DEFINITELY needs to be added at percival and clemson road. It is nearly impossible to get out of Clemson road onto percival in the mornings and afternoons. If something isn't done soon someone is going to get hurt or killed. It is a very dangerous area. Plus it will help with the Fort Jackson Cemetery. Please consider putting a light there ASAP.

Reporters Shana Smith and Taylor Kearns read Vickie's comment on the original issue and posted a comment of their own, asking if she would be interested in being interviewed for the story they were working on.

Within a day, Vickie, her coworker Heather, and the WIS-TV crew were at the intersection filming and helping fix this problem once and for all! As part of their investigation, WIS-TV called the Department of Transportation and found out that the intersection has been approved for a stoplight which will be installed in the next several months.

Congrats to WIS-TV for a job very well done on their first SeeClickFix segment, and to Vickie and Heather for getting their issue the attention it deserves! Our team can't wait to see that WIS-TV will be fixing next!

To watch this story on WISTV.com, click here! 

To learn more about SeeClickFix tools for media, click here!

Rock the Vote

With Election Day just around the corner (read: Tuesday),  Ivan Lajara (@ivanlajara) of the Kingston Daily Freeman recently discussed making an 'Election Day Problems Widget' using SeeClickFix. We thought this was such an interesting application of our technology and wanted to share it with you here. From long lines to glitchy machines, there's always something happening at your polling place. This year, keep both your neighbors and public officials informed about voting irregularities by publicly documenting them in real time. From news outlets to community organizations, anyone can create his or her very-own Election Day Map with a few easy clicks.

1. Go to SeeClickFix.com/widget and click "Generate a Map Widget Now!"
2. On the "Create a Map Widget" page, you'll be able to set the preferences for your widget from inputting the correct location to creating the desired widget dimensions. As Ivan states, you should make the primary tab the "Report Form" to encourage more individuals to submit voting issues.

Under "Options," you'll see the section entitled "Filter by Keyword." This allows you to only display issues containing certain keywords or phrases on your map. For instance, you might consider filtering for the following: voting vote "polling place" "election day" poll election.

Similarly, you can also create a "Default Issue Summary" for the widget. With this option, the report form would feature a suggested summary when users report issues through the widget. For example, you could make the default issue summary "Voting Problem" or "Election Day Issue." Finish completing the form and input your contact information.

3. Click "Create Widget" and embed the code onto your website (as we did below).

4. Spread the word! Make sure your audience knows they can highlight any issues they encounter on Election Day directly on your website.

SeeClickFix Partners with Maine's Newspaper of Record

SeeClickFix welcomed a new media partner to the family this week with the launch of our service on Maine's newspaper of record for over a century, Bangor Daily News! The outlet partnered with us to offer a platform by which readers can voice their concerns and advocate for quality-of-life issues to be fixed.

From a left-turn arrow needed in Bangor to neglected roads in Orono, over 130 issues have been reported across Vacationland since Wednesday when Bangor Daily News implemented our reporting tools and introduced SeeClickFix to their readers. Issues can be viewed and submitted through our widgets on their statewide news page, as well as through their regional pages for Portland, Bangor, and Aroostook County. As with all SeeClickFix media partners, issues reported by Bangor Daily News readers can become the focus of stories, features and investigations by journalists covering the region.

In addition to submitting new issues, Bangor Daily News readers can use the new SeeClickFix powered forms to support the concerns of friends and neighbors by sharing comments, voting to fix, adding pictures and more. Citizens who wish to work with their local government to resolve community problems can also use SeeClickFix tools such as our watch area feature. Creating a watch area allows citizens to sign up elected officials or municipal departments to receive email alerts about issues submitted locally, helping everyone to take an active role in improving their community!

SeeClickFix is proud to welcome Bangor Daily News and their readers to our growing community of media outlets and users!

To read more about SeeClickFix and Bangor Daily News, or to report an issue in Maine, click here!

Saratoga Springs Considers SeeClickFix Committee

By Jacob Apkon, Superstar SeeClickFix Intern

After seeing an increase in issues reported on SeeClickFix, Saratoga Springs’ Public Safety Commissioner Richard Wirth now wants to establish a committee to address public traffic concerns, consisting of community members, engineers, and public safety representatives (for example, police officers). That way, Wirth and company can better address SeeClickFix issues raised by Saratoga Springs citizens.

Already a SeeClickFix media partner, the Saratogian regularly reports SeeClickFix issues submitted by citizens to the city and, oftentimes, the city official contacted is Wirth. With the establishment of this committee, Wirth hopes he can get rid of this middle step. The committee would check SeeClickFix directly instead of going through the Saratogian. As Wirth states:

It might be beneficial to have their concerns and inquiries forwarded directly to the commissioner of public safety. There is such an influx of these concerns and we want to look into each one because these apply not only to the city, but also to the county and the state because they can involve their roads.

Reported over a year ago and still receiving SeeClickFix activity, Issue #31661-Intersection of Ballston Ave. and Lincoln Ave involves a traffic light request at an intersection one SeeClickFix user felt was unsafe.

Despite receiving 862 views and 49 votes, this issue still persists according to resident--and SeeClickFix user--Nancy Muldoon. Hopefully, Wirth’s new committee will be able to address and close this traffic concern on SeeClickFix (and others like it!)

Keizertimes Kicks Off New Citizen Reporting Tool

This just in: our media partners are awesome.

Okay, so while this information might not be breaking news, it's definitely true! Since our launch in 2008, hundreds of media outlets have partnered with SeeClickFix to help empower their audience, improve their communities and generate unique, hyperlocal content. Not only that, media outlets utilizing SeeClickFix have played a significant part in helping us happily say that over 50% of issues reported through our online platform have been resolved offline. From The Washington Post to the 18 dailies published by the Journal Register Company, some big names in news are SeeClickFixin'! While you may not have heard of our latest media partner, we think you'll be just as excited as we are about them!

Keizertimes, the newspaper in Keizer, OR, is a weekly publication and news site focused solely on news and events within the Keizer community. With a staff of two full time employees, Keizertimes will be using our platform to engage their readers while improving Keizer, one fix at a time. The paper launched SeeClickFix late last week and published a story about our partnership in the August 1 edition. After helping managing editor Jason Cox get set up with our widgets and sharing examples of how powerful media can be in getting issues fixed, we were thrilled that he shared our same enthusiasm with his readers.

“This partnership goes hand-in-hand with our commitment to increasing civic participation and covering Keizer like no one else can,” said Managing Editor Jason Cox. “We’re happy to provide our readers this service and allow them an easy, anonymous way to report issues in their community.”

Adding to our excitement about our partnership, Keizertimes staff will be following up with local officials about issues in their area and reporting on the progress of fixes to their readers concerns. Citizens, media and local government working together to solve problems and improve their community - it doesn't get any better than this, folks!

Next Generation Democracy

A few weeks ago, Demos fellow and author Jared Duval discussed his new book Next Generation Democracy: What the Open-Source Revolution Means for Power, Politics, and Change on PRX's Voices of Our World, an award-winning public affairs radio program. With its focus on solving challenges collectively, Duval's book highlights those organizations--including SeeClickFix--assuming leadership roles in this revolution.

In the Wi-Fi Democracy interview, Duval discusses how collective action emerges through open-source technology and participatory online sites like SeeClickFix. Voices of Our World host Eileen Bott described how SeeClickFix changes the way citizens communicate with their municipalities (and each other):

Telling them [local government] off is now just a click away. No nasty paper letter, no dead trees. You can now go to a civic website which connects you and your neighbors to your local government, allowing you to report a problem.

Duval elaborated on this thought, describing how citizens are becoming more active and invested in their communities thanks to an increasing access to information:

Rather than seeing government as something separate to be complained at, I think SeeClickFix is enabling us because we can come together and share information more effectively. It enhances our role as citizens to feel investment and ownership of our own communities. And to come together to do things rather than waiting around for some distant force, or at least that's what the frame is about our government.

This participatory approach reforms and reinvents government in transparent, decentralized ways while simultaneously creating communities of engaged, proactive citizens. Without SeeClickFix, many questions remain unanswered after an individual reports something, like a pothole or missing street sign, to their local government: What happens to it? Where does it go? Is it getting fixed? With SeeClickFix, however, Duval believes this problem can be overcome:

And so the cofounders of SeeClickFix created this site as a platform where you could post nonemergency issues in real-time, other citizens can go on and share information about that as well. They can post pictures or videos that help give a better sense of what's going on, but there's also discussion so you can engage with government [...] And so, it's tracked totally transparently, citizens collaborating with their fellow citizens who happen to work for the government to solve local problems rather than just seeing government as a complaint board [...]

Through discussions with Duval, Bott became excited about our citizen-reporting platform and its application beyond the local level:

I checked out my own little rural hamlet in New York state on SeeClickFix. And son of a gun, my town is there with its tall grass obscuring a curve in the road and the need for a new traffic light. We're connected, but while most of us are just sharing giggles with friends on Facebook, and ya know that's not that bad, I can't help but extrapolate from what I'm learning on the local level or national level what is possible on the global level. Act local, think global.

The open-source revolution continues to reshape the way civil society functions with the bottom-up, grassroots efforts of innovators and average citizens alike. SeeClickFix places itself on the frontlines of this 'next generation democracy' movement--transforming residents into citizens with one easy click of the mouse!

Getting Digital with the JRC

We love technology. We love media. We really love when those two join forces and create one amazing result. One of our media partners, the Journal Register Company, perfectly exemplifies this symbiotic relationship with its 'digital first' strategy.

CEO John Paton recently spoke with NetNewsCheck.com about how the Journal Register Co. has used its new online strategy (which includes SeeClickFix) to reinvent itself while simultaneously becoming "on par with the best in the newspaper industry."

Flashback to three years ago: the Journal Register Co. looked like "one of the newspaper industry’s worst black eyes" with its accumulating debt, delisting of its stock, and subsequent bankruptcy. Today, the company has completely transformed itself, "emphasizing content and sales while shedding printing plants and above all, focusing on building online readership."

Part of this transformation? Crowdsourcing with SeeClickFix.

Clearly they’ve [bloggers] played a role in expanding our content offerings and expanding our audience. As has our partnering with companies like SeeClickFix, which is a phenomenal success for us. SeeClickFix lets us do old-fashioned journalism about fixing a pothole here or raising an alarm about a dangerous intersection there.

With SeeClickFix, news outlets like the JRC can stay up-to-date on the issues that directly impact the communities they serve---engaging and empowering citizens along the way. What happens in neighborhoods affects individuals in very immediate, personal ways. Through our widget feature, media outlets can connect with their audiences over these concerns and allow residents to report community issues directly through their website--thereby making the site more interactive and relevant to residents.  Just look at the New Haven Register or the News-Herald.

News outlets can then receive email alerts about those issues being reported through 'watch areas' containing the counties, cities, or neighborhoods they cover. These publicly documented SeeClickFix issues can even serve as content for media outlets (see Gripe of the Day), creating new space for public debate, and even leading to investigation and resolution of those matters.

To learn even about the JRC and its growing digital strategy, check out NetNewsCheck.

SeeClickFix on Al Jazeera's 'The Stream'

Recently launched by Al Jazeera English, 'The Stream' (@AJStream) focuses on the 'extraordinary potential of social media to disseminate news.'  A few days ago, contributor David Cohn (@DigiDave) discussed his experience using SeeClickFix in its episode focused on micro-blogging and crowdsourcing:

Spot.Us has used a similar tool called SeeClickFix to map potholes in Oakland. We got 15 bikers, they all went in different directions, found the biggest potholes, and we mapped them. I'll say that the potholes weren't as bad as that flood [in Saudi Arabia] looked, but still that was the kind of thing where we could go in and bring it to the city officials' attention and see what we could do to fix them.

Cohn added that you can't fix something unless you have information about it. We couldn't agree more. Online tools like SeeClickFix display information publicly, making it accessible to anyone in the world. With that information comes power. And with that power comes the ability to make change.

SeeClickFix for Safer Roads

SeeClickFix media partner The Saratogian is at it again, bringing attention to a hazardous stretch of road in Saratoga Springs, New York. As part of their ongoing SeeClickFix Series, The Saratogian recently highlighted Issue #55010 - Large dip creates horrific accidents. The issue was anonymously reported nearly 9 months ago.

The large dip in Petrified Sea Gardens Road is quite a dangerous spot. I have seen three major accidents in which an ambulance took one or more severely injured people. At the very least, would it be possible to put signs at the top of the hill? If you take this hill too fast, you run a strong risk of wiping out. It is very steep, and cannot see who is coming until you crest over the hill.

Shortly after being reported, other residents began commenting on the issue and voting for it's fix. From speeding drivers to lack of signage, SeeClickFix users had a variety of opinions about what exactly makes this hill so dangerous to motorists and cyclists. A commenter named Von summarized the number of factors that contribute to this issue:

Even if both parties are traveling the speed limit this area is still a dangerous location. The problem is a combination of a blind hill and the fact that the road also bends at that point. This mean someone who's traveling south needs to adjust to the right as they crest the hill otherwise they'll find themselves in the oncoming lane. This is all compounded by the fact that few people adhere to the speed limits while traveling through here. Something certainly needs to be done to make this situation safe.

With the help of The Saratogian, and the 20 SeeClickFixers who voted on this report, this issue is getting the attention of public officials in Saratoga Springs. Public Safety Commissioner Richard Wirth told The Saratogian he was not familiar with the commenters’ particular concerns, but said that he would gladly send staff to investigate the SeeClickFix issue. Wirth also explained to the paper that the city can review the accident history on the road and see if it merits a traffic study.

We're proud to again see media, citizens and local government coming together to resolve community issues using SeeClickFix. Thank you to The Saratogian and all in Saratoga Springs who voiced their concerns about the hazardous street. SeeClickFix is looking forward to seeing the final fix for this problem!

To read the story on The Saratogian website, click here! 

Using SeeClickFix to Fight Crime

With the help of social media, police officers have been exploring new ways to serve and protect their citizens according to The Next Web. The tech-focused blog detailed how social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter allow for instantaneous communication and information sharing on a large scale. Utilizing these outlets, police departments encourage greater interaction and dialogue between the people they serve and themselves--an idea that SeeClickFix can proudly stand behind.

Perhaps the most interesting change, however, ties directly into police investigations. Based in New Haven, SeeClickFix recently witnessed firsthand how its online tool can actually aid local police units as they challenge crime in their communities.

Reported 12 days ago, Issue #94124-Prostitution involved the presence of prostitutes on Chapel Street between Norton and Winthrop. With their 'Gripe of the Day' feature, the New Haven Register decided to look into the problem and spoke with the police department on April 11th. Lt. Ray Hassett told the newspaper they would look into it---and they sure did. Just three days later, the New Haven Register reported that nine individuals were charged with prostitution after the police department conducted its recent sting operation.

This issue not only demonstrates the ability of SeeClickFix to keep communities safe and crime-free. It also shows the power of collaboration. When local governments, media organizations, and citizens work together, everybody wins.

Griping with Traffic Lights

Like many media outlets before it, the News-Herald has started investigating issues reported on SeeClickFix with its newly-launched 'Today's Gripe' feature.

Reported five days ago, Issue #93702- Red lights for no traffic dealt with the unnecessary use of traffic lights near the Northshore Mall. An anonymous local resident explained that this traffic light doesn't need to run all night and should default to flash yellow during off-hours.

Is it really necessary to have the Northshore Mall light running all night? Stopping traffic at 5:00 am for the mall with no cars waiting to get out wastes gas and serves east and west bound traffic on Lakeshore no purpose. Having it on yellow flash during off hours at the mall like it used to would be great.

Thanks to the Ohio-based newspaper, this issue may soon be resolved. According to Willowick traffic technician Rick Pugh, city traffic lights are currently operating under their regular schedule. The entire city will get new traffic lights, but they have yet to be fully installed. With completion set for late summer, traffic signals will be adjusted to the flow of traffic, sensors, and timers--just as they worked in the past.

We're doing a traffic revamping. As they do that, when they put up the lights in the city, they haven't cut the loops in yet. So until they're done, they'll just continue cycling.

A big SeeClickFix thanks to the News-Herald for raising awareness about community issues and helping its citizens see results. To report an issue in Willowick or learn more about 'Today's Gripe,' click here.

Bikes and Gripes

Earlier this week, we told you about the New Haven Register's new 'Gripe of the Day' feature. On Wednesday, the media outlet investigated the lack of bike racks at Union Station after one resident reported it via SeeClickFix.

Reported two days ago, Issue # 93247-Not enough bike racks at train station highlighted this bike rack shortage. SeeClickFix user Rachel posted that the racks are often full and called for additional space:

There's tons of space, for example, between the garage and the station. More bike racks would be greatly appreciated.

Similar issues, like Issue #89281-Need more bike racks, have been reported in the past and went unnoticed.

Now, thanks to the New Haven Register, the future looks promising for local cyclists! This past week, the newspaper contacted the New Haven Parking Authority about its plans to increase the number of bike racks.

NHPA executive director William Kilpatrick said they will be adding additional racks to accommodate 100 more bicycles. Construction will begin within the next 10 days.

A huge thanks to the New Haven Register for using SeeClickFix to raise awareness about resident concerns. Keep SeeClickFixin'!

NH Register Launches 'Gripe of the Day'

(Courtesy of the New Haven Register)

Following in the footsteps of the Washington Post, the New Haven Register launched its very own "Gripe of the Day" feature back in early March. And we couldn't be more excited here at SeeClickFix, especially since the newspaper (and SCF media partner) is based in New Haven with us.

Most recently, the newspaper featured drag racing as its "Gripe of the Day" after an anonymous user posted about it fifteen days ago. Viewed over 60 times, Issue #89389- Drag Racing involved nighttime drag racing and cruising on Foxtown Boulevard in New Haven. According to the user, he or she has almost been hit twice already, and the problem continues:

Police come and chase them them away, but they just come back and start again. I have a feeling as it warms up it is only going to get worse and someone is going to get hurt.

Another user 'L' agreed and added that local drag racing has been a problem for years.

The police need to do some investigation and impound these cars, making it harder for these jerks to do this. I hear them almost every weekend, at the wee hours, but I didn't know where they were lately, because I couldn't see them.

The user also called for citizens to document license plate numbers and details of those automobiles involved in the drag racing.

To help stop the drag racing, the New Haven Register contacted the city on Friday, asking what measures were being taken. The city spokesman Adam Joseph told the paper:

In an effort to make our streets safer for pedestrians, motorist and cyclists the (city) of New Haven has greatly increased its traffic enforcement operations.

It's great to see local media organizations shedding light on (and helping to fix) community issues reported via SeeClickFix. A huge thanks to the New Haven Register team!

Paving the Road to Results

(Photo courtesy of WBTV)

Nineteen days ago, SeeClickFix user Sherrie described the condition of Little Rock Road in Charlotte, NC as 'terrible' and 'dilapidated' complete with cracks in the asphalt, holes, and bumps.

It is so uneven going toward the airport terminal. It is like trying to dodge bullets, trying not to hit the bad areas but you have to hit them because they are everywhere in the road.

Sherrie added that the poor road conditions have been around for quite some time and wreak havoc on vehicle alignment.

This has been like this since I have been living in this area, 12 years, why doesn't it ever get any attention? I would think that the city would want this road to be nice for visitors, considering it is an exit and entrance road to the airport.

Thanks to the WBTV team, this issue is now getting the attention it deserves. A few days ago, the media outlet examined the road, reached out to NC-DOT, and received some promising news.

They got right back with us saying this section of Little Rock Road is being considered for re-surfacing this year. In fact, they'll be looking over contracts in the near future. State DOT also says if for some reason resurfacing doesn't happen this year, they'll do some temporary patching to take care of it in the interim.

The StarPhoenix Launches Interactive Map

(Photo courtesy of the StarPhoenix)

Based in Saskatoon, the StarPhoenix just started documenting potholes in the area using our interactive SeeClickFix widget. While they've already reported several, they need your help to track local potholes by posting them on SeeClickFix. And if you have any good photos, send them to citydesk@thestarphoenix.com and they may be featured in their photo gallery!

We're excited to partner with this Canadian media organization and wish them luck on their pothole-filled journey!

SeeClickFix: Innovator of the Year

(SeeClickFix Co-founders Ben Berkowitz, Kam Lasater, and Jeff Blasius)

Back in early March, Ben Berkowitz and the SeeClickFix team won BusinessNewHaven's 'Innovator of the Year' award. Its February issue even featured SeeClickFix in an article entitled "Power to the People: A Revolutionary Online Tool Promotes Positive Change, One Click at a Time." A huge congrats to everyone at SeeClickFix!

Read some excerpts below. You can check out the full article here.

When Ben Berkowitz noticed some ugly graffiti staring back at him from a neighbor’s building, he did what many people would do: He got worked up. So he called City Hall — and ended up with even more aggravation. “I am actually a big graffiti art fan, but this was not the kind that belonged on my neighbor’s building,” Berkowitz recalls. He called the city and quickly became disenchanted with his inability to get past telephone gatekeepers to talk to someone who could actually do something. Out of his frustration came a plan to change the way citizens could effect positive change.

[...]

“Forty-five percent of the issues on the site are fixed, and that number is quickly climbing as the number of issues goes up,” Berkowitz says. “The more awareness there is of the site, the more people pay attention to it.”

[...]

[Robert] Smuts’ staff was faced with prioritizing and triaging a blizzard of e-mails. “As SeeClickFix was growing and finding out what they were all about, I met with Ben and we talked a lot about how it could be more helpful to the city and other municipalities,” says Smuts. “He picked my brain, wanting to know how governments think.” Soon Smuts realized he had found the solution to creating a public interface that worked. From those discussions, SeeClickFix Pro was created and New Haven now integrates the program with its existing City Works work-order program. Using SeeClickFix Pro, when someone posts an alert, it feeds automatically into the city’s Public Works Department.

[...]

“The idea behind what Ben is doing is — rather than someone shaking their fists and being upset about something and complaining — he found other people who think the way he thinks and what he created is crowd-sourcing community improvement,” [Jonathan] Cooper says.

[...]

Berkowitz is also hoping for continued great things: “I would like to see SeeClickFix to be a single platform for the entire world that everyone can trust that they can get results from.”

Patrolling Potholes in Ohio

Humans are competitive by nature, and that doesn't change when potholes are involved. As a SeeClickFix media partner, the News-Herald launched a campaign yesterday to fix Ohio potholes in serious need of repair.

Known as the 'Pothole Patrol,' the newspaper will be collaborating with Adventure Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram to help alleviate the region's pothole mess. They'll be sharing the information reported on the website with those responsible for fixing them.

The best part? Include 'Pothole Patrol' in the issue summary and you could win one of two $20 Speedway gas cards or one of five certificates for a free oil change courtesy of Adventure Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram.

To join the Pothole Patrol, click here.

Pothole Problems in Saratoga Springs

(Photo courtesy of the Saratogian)

With warmer weather approaching, cities and towns across the United States are starting the process of patching potholes. The Saratogian, for example, recently looked into resident complaints about potholes and other issues on Jefferson Street in Saratoga Springs, NY.

According to the newspaper, the street has been seeing a lot of activity on SeeClickFix. Reported 12 days ago by Julia, an issue entitled "Major Potholes!" mentioned that there were four or five major potholes between Crescent Street and Crescent Avenue:

Tons of people drive the road daily to go to the Racino. I hit one at least every time I leave my house (no choice with snow/traffic)! This should definitely be fixed as soon as possible...I'm afraid of getting a flat every time I hit one. They're huge!

Another user, Jules, agreed about the driving conditions and thinks it should be one of the town's top priorities.

It's not even "bad." It's downright awful.

The Saratogian recently spoke with Anthony Scirocco, the city's Public Works Commissioner. Scirocco said that they were currently working on their paving schedule and Jefferson Street was being considered. He added that city repairs would depend on state funding. He also mentioned that crews started repairing potholes on nearby Crescent Street.

They’re going to continue to work in that area up there.

Like other media outlets, the Saratogian continues to shed light on community issues that need to be addressed and we want to thank them. Know of more potholes on Jefferson Street? Report them on SeeClickFix!

To Change Lanes or Not to Change Lanes?

(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"

(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.

Read the full article here.