Yes, it can happen. I reported a broken crosswalk button that has been that way since August

[progree]

Last edited Sun Feb 16, 2025, 05:41 PM - Edit history (1)

It was in the city of Crystal, Minnesota, an inner-ring suburb of Minneapolis. I found a contact form on the city's website on January 31 or so. I got an email from the Streets Superintendant on Feb 3 that they had not known about this before, and thank you, and hopefully it will be repaired sometime this week.

I found it working on February 14. (I don't know exactly what day it was repaired. My last 2 visits to that area were on Feb 5 (not repaired) and Feb 14 (repaired), so it just might have been repaired sometime that first week, or the week following).

I had thought it would be such a minor concern that nobody would respond, and nothing would be done, so why bother to look up how to contact them and write something. Also, the button housing was very visibly dangling by a wire from where it's supposed to be, for at least 6 months, so I had figured they would have known about it before. So it's nice to see that one can actually make a difference.

It's a busy 4-laner that I have to walk 3-4 heavy bags of groceries across (plus wearing a heavy backpack stuffed with groceries), and while it was broken, there was no walk-cycle. Others carrying grocery bags also use this crosswalk which is in front of the grocery store and goes across the street to the west-bound busstop -- another reason to think it probably was reported multiple times in the past, and so why bother.

ETA: I sent the Streets Superintendant a note of appreciation /EDIT

Anyway, just to encourage people to report "minor" issues.

[senseandsensibility]

1. Reminds me of a couple of years ago when the streetlight

went out in my little town here in the SF Bay Area (California). I think it would surprise many that in "hellhole" California I e-mailed my city on their website and received a prompt, personalized response. It was fixed the next day! Maybe we should start a thread about how government works well for people, since so many R's seem to be totally clueless. From Medicare to bank safety to FEMA and even these smaller examples, the government is working for us every day.

[QED]

2. I reported a traffic light that had a ridiculously short cycle for the left turn lane

It should have been longer when I passed through at 6 am but maybe 2 cars at most could get through. They always shortened the time during the summer - access to the high school wasn't needed - but they lengthened the time once school resumed. The city traffic person emailed me back within a day to say the person who normally took care of that had retired and no one had picked up the task. It was fixed that day.

Yeah, government does work!

[MineralMan]

3. Im a reporter of such things.

They have always been addressed and corrected quickly. It's worth doing.

[CrispyQ]

4. My city is very responsive

I called city works once about loose gravel that had collected around the four corners of a busy intersection where a local road intersected a state highway. I mentioned how dangerous it was to have loose gravel underfoot with traffic going by at 50 MPH. They told me that was actually the State Patrol's jurisdiction but they would send someone right away to sweep it up. They did the intersection a mile up the road, too.

People are gonna miss government when it's gone but at least that evil dark state will also be gone.

[onethatcares]

5. it's either fix the light

for the cost of 4 workers and some parts or pay a large settlement amount to the dooey/cheetum & howe lawfirm. I find our city to be proactive on these things.

and

that's what government is supposed to do.

[progree]

6. I keep reading that there are dangerous intersections that don't get fixed for years, even decades

They do a cost-benefit analysis (probability of a lawsuit(s) and probable costs thereof, vs. the cost of fixing) in deciding on a long long list of safety issues, which ones to prioritize. E.g. merge on ramps that are way too short.

There are some standard practices (based on probabilistic expected cost vs. benefit analysis) in deciding what traffic-light intersections get crosswalk buttons and which don't. And for that matter which intersections get traffic lights and which ones just stop signs. Which one get left-turn arrows and which don't. Which ones get left-turn lanes and which don't. Which are no-right-turn-on-red and which aren't. And on and on.

There didn't seem to be any effort by street maintenance workers or otherwise to even look for or report obvious problems like a crosswalk button housing the size of a small fist very visibly hanging by a wire for at least 6 months.

My OP said it's been that way since August, but actually, that's the date I bothered to make a note to myself about it. It may have been longer ago than that.

ETA - I kind of wonder if crosswalk buttons are mostly placebo buttons anyway. They do no doubt lengthen the time of the green light so one has more time to walk across, and there's the count-down display (18, 17, 16,...) so that's good.

Hopefully, if the intersection has a no-left-turn red arrow light, that is illuminated so someone doesn't left-turn into the pedestrian. As for being right-turned into, I don't know if I've seen any protection there -- where I live there just aren't any no-right-turn traffic lights, and, unless a permanent sign says no right turn on red, then right turns on red are legal. (And no right turn on red signs are very often ignored). So I always watch over my left shoulder when I walk into an intersection, watching out for right-turning-into-me vehicles.

[Buddyzbuddy]

7. I think Repugs refer to those situations as population control.

The same way they approach a pandemic.
Good on you for being proactive.

[IronLionZion]

8. Excellent, I had a similar experience reporting potholes in my city

plenty of potholes and people complaining to each other. But I reported it, got a response to clarify the exact location, and a crew fixed it within 3 days. I was pleasantly surprised.

[OldBaldy1701E]

9. I owe North Robbinsdale my life, I suppose.

Great heart department. Overwhelmed these days, but a great one.

[madville]

10. Deer warning sign stolen from in front

Of my property. I reported it to the county and they installed a new one a week or so later, it can work sometimes.

[Evolve Dammit]

11. I let people know when there is a hazard in particular or dangerous situation. Usually works.

[Onthefly]

12. That is great news. Many towns have an ADA coordinator who can help, too.

I worked with many ADA Coordinators throughout the country on updating and implementing their ADA plans including mediation and resolving complaints. They are usually responsive to accessibility issues. The coordinator works closely with roadway and pedestrian staff to fix problems.

[stollen]

13. The police should have reported it

[JustAnotherGen]

14. I'm a Councilwoman in NJ

Please do contact us. Everything in D.C. is out of my ability to impact - But Parking, Traffic, and Infrastructure in my Borough? That I can change.

[MineralMan]

15. One story will tell why it's important to call stuff in.

I was out mowing my lawn, when I noticed some water trickling down the street gutter in front of my neighbor's house. Not a lot. Just a small bit of water, but it seemed to be coming up through the pavement. I thought about where it could be coming from, and figured the only place was from the water main under the street. It wasn't near the service line to the house.

So I called the public works department in St. Paul, MN, where I lived. I explained what I had seen and what I suspected. Less than half an hour later, the trucks, backhoe and other equipment were there. Later, the foreman with the crew asked me if I was the one who reported it. I said I was. He said, "A good thing. In an hour, this little water main leak would have created a sinkhole and eaten up some of the street. As it was, we got here in time to prevent any serious damage. Thanks!"

So, call. You might be doing something really worthwhile.

[progree]

16. I'm glad you caught it and called in before it became like 50th & Penn. Thanks! /nt