D1 traffic catalogues customer concerns
to identify priorities

Some calls—like those about potholes and plowing status—change with the seasons, but some stay the same. It was the constant influx of calls from the public about signals, signage and speed limits that prompted the traffic section in District 1 to find a comprehensive way to capture and act on that feedback.

“So many of us take phone calls or receive emails about traffic issues,” traffic section EIT Breanna Logerwell said. “We needed a better way outside of sticky notes to track issues, and something the whole office could look at.”

Traffic engineer Nathan Herbst developed an online form for traffic personnel to fill out while learning about a concern. Questions filter differently based on previous answers, and options allow the ITD employee to gauge the importance of the issue. When synthesized by the program, responses help the team gain a larger perspective of the concerns on the road.

"We think this tool will help us track issues and identify trends from feedback and complaints," Herbst said. "If there seems to be a consistent problem, maybe we should look into fixing it."

Since Microsoft Forms was first rolled out in March, the traffic team has taken more than 30 calls, with the most about signals. The team plans to test it a little longer before possibly sharing the form with other sections.

Published 05-10-19