Following approval of the Legislature, the Erie County Department of Public Works is testing new technology to help residents report road issues and improve repair response times.

Department of Public Works representatives recently told WIVB they are in the process of testing Global Information System (GIS) technology that would allow residents to upload a photo of a road issue to the county website or through social media. (WIVB: Erie County testing new technology for reporting road issues). The new system will also allow residents to see when a road was last plowed. In June, Legislator Joe Lorigo introduced a resolution requesting the county develop an app in order to make the process of reporting road issues easier. Legislator Lorigo’s resolution passed the Legislature unanimously.

Legislator Lorigo said, “I’m encouraged to see the Department of Public Works move forward with new technology to improve response times and make our roads safer. The resolution I introduced and passed with unanimous support would take these measures a step further by creating a stand-alone app for reporting. I look forward to seeing the app come to fruition in the near future. In the meantime, I will continue pushing for infrastructure improvements throughout my legislative district and all of Erie County.”

Legislator Dixon said, “Previously, residents who wanted to report a road issue were directed to fill out an online form or call the county’s pothole hotline. While I supported both of these initiatives, I think it is important to adapt to technology and the increase in smart phone usage. Hopefully, this system will speed up the reporting process altogether. Many of our county roads are in need of improvement and I am happy to support any measure to address those needs.”

Legislator Mills said, “Residents throughout my legislative district regularly contact my office to express concern with the poor condition of our county roads. I share those concerns and I am hoping this software will result in a smoother process for reporting areas in need of repair as well as a quicker response time on behalf of our public works crews.”

Legislator Rath said, “Many other municipalities use this type of technology to address infrastructure needs and my colleagues and I have been advocating for Erie County to follow suit. I look forward to residents having access to this system and hope it will result in the creation of a mobile app in the near future.”

According to the County’s Department of Public Works, it is expected the new system will be rolled out by the end of this year.