Mass. DOT plans to expand digital pothole tracking program

Updated Feb 24, 2017

Screen Shot 2017 02 21 At 9 47 44 AmThe Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) reports that it is expanding its pothole information program that has been in a pilot stage in the Springfield and Worcester areas of the state for the past year.

This includes the MassDOT Potholes Dashboard that includes public data, which includes a map of pothole locations and size, number of potholes filled, material used and approximate cost.

“MassDOT is pleased this program has been successful thus far, and we are continuing to expand this innovative approach across the state,” says Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack.  “By engaging the public, we gain the advantage of quicker response and repair times, which translates to safer, more efficient travel for everyone who uses the Commonwealth’s roads.”

The agency says it can use the dashboard data in making decisions on capital investments to focus its resources on roads and “areas that require consistent pothole repair” and to manage its assets in a “cost-effective manner that prevents emergency pothole repairs.”

“This online dashboard showcases firsthand how dollars are being spent and enables us to make more informed decisions regarding our resources and capital investments,” says MassDOT Highway Administrator Thomas J. Tinlin.  “MassDOT is committed to customer service and public engagement and this information tool illustrates the daily efforts of our staff to make roads safe for travel. It allows us to better monitor road conditions and repairs, and then we are able to use this data when determining where we should initiate road reconstruction and resurfacing projects to ensure our transportation systems remain safe and reliable.”

MassDOT reports the program includes a field application that road crews can use to input the date, time, cost and materials used to repair potholes.  It uses MassDOT’s GIS systems to set the interactive webpage, and once entered, the information is viewable in real-time to the public.

The program will expand to the remaining districts over the next several months, the agency reports, and it could be implemented in Western Massachusetts near the New York border, Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands within the next month.

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MassDOT says the data collected so far shows it made at least 310 pothole repairs on Interstate 90 between Sturbridge and Weston in 2016, and has conducted about 210 pothole repairs between Springfield and Weston from January to February 17 this year.