Worcester Rolls Out 311 App To Report Problems, Nuisances

WORCESTER, MA — Roadkill. Rhode Island-sized potholes. Mattresses dumped along dead-end streets. These are all problems that Worcester residents will soon be able to report from a smartphone.

On Tuesday, Worcester will officially begin accepting complaints through a new 311 smartphone app — complementary to the new 311 complaint hotline that began service about a year ago.

The 311 app has been available for months, but this week's launch will mark the official start of its use, city officials said.

"The new application will serve as residents’ one-stop resource for all non-emergency questions. Through the application, residents will be able to submit online service requests 24/7. Those requests include, but are not limited to, trash and recycling, streets and sidewalks, nuisances/complaints, trees, and more," City Manager Eric Batista's office said in a news release.

Through the app, residents can mark a problem on a map and monitor how city workers respond. The map shows all issues reported across the city, with "open" problems marked in green, and fixed problems in blue. The app also allows residents to find information about ongoing emergencies, paying bills online, parking bans and the hours of residential drop-off centers.

311 got its start in Baltimore in 1996, and has since expanded to most large cities across the U.S. In Massachusetts, Springfield, Boston, Andover, Somerville, Newton and Haverhill operate 311 hotlines.

The app can be downloaded by searching for "Worcester 311" in either the iTunes store or Google Play.