The UK Is On To Something With FixMyStreet

I wish we had a service like FixMyStreet in the United States. I wasn't able to find anything comparable on this side of the pond, though. I'm guessing it's because each state is its own entity here. Regardless, this little web site offers a useful service in an easy to understand, simple Web 2.0 format.

So what is FixMyStreet? A simple online service offering a way for you to report a problem with a street in your area. They then take your issue to the appropriate local council and put it up for repair.

In Web 2.0 the goal is often to do one thing and do it well. FixMyStreet definitely takes that adage to heart, focusing on street repairs and nothing else. It even offers a tally on its front page so you can keep track of how many times success has been reached and repairs have been made.

FixMyStreet gives you a way to report needed repairs, view old reports in each area, and see any local alerts. The ability to view old reports and see their status, as well as monitor how well your area council is following through on reports, would satisfy neighborhood busybodies anywhere. It also serves the useful purpose of keeping tabs on how your requested repair is progressing.

I found a few local sites around the United States offering online street repair reporting through Department of Transportation web sites in various cities and counties. I didn't find anything with a Web 2.0 flavor, though, and certainly nothing this focused and easy to use. On this side of the pond, if you are lucky enough to be able to make repair reports online you will have to slog through complicated government web sites cluttered with other information.

FixMyStreet offers a much needed service in an easy to use, unpretentious format. It includes simple reports and tracking, as well as photos of damaged roads. You can even follow your reported repair from start to finish. I think the United States could take a page from the UK's book on this one and introduce a similar service here, but I'm not sure how it would work across states, cities and counties.