Pudong police app clear sign of progress
Pudong traffic police and Tongji University have developed an app to report hazards on the streets and raise the efficiency of repairs.
Since April, officers have reported 1,012 problems to other government bodies through the app.
Liu Wenxuan patrols Yanggao and Minsheng roads regularly. He noticed buses stopping at the red light at the junction but not pulling away as the light turned green.
“I saw drivers bend down in their seats,” said Liu, “as if they were looking for something.”
Liu figured out there was an overpass bridge at the junction and since the bus drivers' seats are a little higher than regular vehicles, they had to bend down to see the lights.
He took photos and uploaded the problem to the app. Workers came and moved the light about 10 centimeters lower the same day and the problem was solved.
Before the app, officers who found such problems had to write a report for officers who specialized in traffic hazards and repairs sometimes took months.
More than 600 officers now use the app.
Some of the problems, like the one Liu spotted, can be hard to find.
“Police cars don’t have the same problems as bus drivers face,” said Liu.
According to the data from the app, most reports are about aging and blurring traffic signs or marks.
“With the app, we can now track repairs and rectification,” said Hu Jiaming from the infrastructure department of Pudong traffic police.
At the junction of Yanggao and Pusan roads, the officers found there was no barrier between the bike and pedestrian lanes, nor any obvious marking on the ground.
The officers uploaded the problems to the app and within a week, the problems were solved with new marks and guard railings between.
A road sign at the junction of Ruiyang and Ruihe roads was blocked by tree branches. After reporting on the app the branches were cut and the sign can be clearly seen.
