City Releases 311 iPhone App, Android App Coming by End of Year

Somerville has released a new constituent services iPhone application, according to an announcement issued by the city Friday.

The app will allow users to report things such as potholes, missed trash pickups, trees that need trimming, squares that need cleaning and illegally parked cars right from their iPhones, the announcement says.

Designed by Intelligov, which provides software for the city's 311 constituent services system and online portal, users will be able to file requests with the city and even send photos. 

In other words, if there's a big pothole on your way to work, you can photograph it with your iPhone and send it to the city with a request that the pothole be fixed.

The app ties directly and seamlessly into the existing 311 system, Friday's announcement says, which means people will be able to track the progress of their requests—known as work orders—from their laptops, desktops and iPhones.

"This isn't a reasonable facsimile of our 311 system or a toothless app where we just slapped on the 311 label," said Steve Craig, the city's director of constituent services, in the announcement. "This app will plug you directly into Somerville's city government.

Somerville's mayor, Joseph Curtatone, said in the announcement, "We expect this app is going to become a bit of an overnight sensation … The moment you have an issue or a question you can reach for your phone and send it directly to 311."

The app is available on iPhones by searching the App Store for "311 Somerville." Somerville Patch was able to successfully acquire the app Friday afternoon.

Intelligov is now building a 311 app for the Android; the Android app is expected to be released at the end of 2011, the announcement said.