All mixed up? Call 311
City life is sometimes frustrating. Traffic jams, potholes, limited parking, and more recently, unplowed snowy streets are just a few stressors of the city. Have you ever wanted to report or complain about something, but were not sure who exactly to contact? Well, Pittsburgh now has a couple of solutions to this problem. Mayor Luke Ravenstahl introduced the 311 non-emergency line in October 2006, and has since expanded its operations in times of need, like our recent snow storms.
Anyone living in the city can simply dial 3-1-1 from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, and reach a live service representative who can assist you with anything from the phone number of a city department to reporting potholes, broken streetlights, or any other neighborhood nuisance. If you live outside of Pittsburgh or have an out-of-town area code, you can still reach the line at 412-255-2621. You may also fill out a 311 Form online or get more information on the 311 line or other city departments on the mayor’s website.
In addition to the non-emergency line, Pittsburghers with an iPhone can now download the new application iBurgh, which allows users to snap a pic of any neighborhood eyesore, attach a note, and then send it to 311 operators. City councilman Bill Peduto described it as “the first mobile application for city government,” wrote Joseph L. Flatley of Engadget in his article “iBurgh complaint department for iPhone gets to the heart of city living”.
Both the 311 line and iBurgh make it quicker and easier than ever before for residents to access city services. These customer-service focused means of reaching our local government will hopefully mean faster and more efficient resolution of the city’s numerous little annoyances.