Who to write to about street repair?

[veda815.livejournal.com]

Hello fine Davis Square Residents - I apologize that this isn't specific to Davis, however I know you are all a politically savvy bunch and I'm hoping you can answer a question for me. I am trying to figure out who to address a complaint about the horrible state of the roads in Medford. I can look up specific names and addresses, I'm just not sure if I should be sending my letter to the Public Works department, my ward councilor, the city council, a letters to the editor page, etc.

Thanks all.

Comments

[livias-fiction.livejournal.com]

hi, those are all in the right realm of people you should contact. the key persons you should write the complaint are the head of the medford public works commission and, more importantly, your district representative in the state house as well. make sure he/she (the representative) gets on the stick and works with the public works commission on this issue.

[ariwriter.livejournal.com]

A state rep will have little effect on local politics. Now, if the town has a lack of available funds, i.e. Chapter 90, then the rep can help for increased local aid funding the next time around. But if you want an immediate question, call the town clerk's office.

[ah42.livejournal.com]

I think it also depends on which road is in question. State roads (e.g. Rts. 60, 28, 38, 16) get state funds, IIRC.

It might be more useful to make specific complaints instead of "all the roads are bad".

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

I suppose in theory Route 60 *might* get state funds, but I can't say I observed it happening while I was commuting on it. Despite screaming, desperate need (this was the patch of 60 in Belmont).

[marylu.livejournal.com]

DPW is probably not set up to deal very effectively with generalized letters of complaint, and sending it to a city councilor would probably have only the most minimal effect, since I'm sure you're not the first person to notice the problem and point it out before. I think a more "politically savvy" way to approach the problem would be to actually begin with trying to work through the system to fix a specific problem rather than writing such a broad "complaint". if you have something specific, i.e. a giant pothole on your street, call dpw about it and have them put in a work order and see how that goes. if it doesn't get fixed then ask to speak with a supervisor, and perhaps at that point try contacting your councilor or write to the newspaper. if you're set on proceeding with a letter that's already written, though, I guess it would be best to send it to the paper.

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

Not really helpful but...

Seems like the Somerville DPW has some time on their hands - they have just repaved Vernon Street and there was *absolutely* nothing wrong with the street. Not a pothole, not a crack, not a bump. Maybe it was faded.... looks nice and black now.

[twe.livejournal.com]

Hrm, why are they repaving streets with nothing wrong, when there are plenty that are pothole city? Temple St over in Winter Hill of instance

[xuth.livejournal.com]

I don't know what's wrong with Medford but in my few years of living there it seems to have one of the lowest clue indexes I've seen in a while. A couple of years ago Medford closed down Harvard St (the main route from Davis Sq area to I-93 and SR-16) between Main St and Winchester St for several days so that they could tear up and repave a 3 foot wide swath the length of that section of road. The entire road is and has been in serious disrepair and large sections of that road are just a patchwork of patches. Now that patch is starting to fall apart too. I live on the Medford side of the Medford Somerville line and am very happy that I have gotten my son out of Medford schools ridding myself of the one association I have with day to day Medford activities.