In his comment posted yesterday, Mike describes a major headache for citizens who operate their bicycles on Savannah’s streets:

“One real problem is the amount of debris on the streets outside of residential neighborhoods. I’m plagued by flat tires even with Kevlar tires and ooze lined tubes. If the city could run a streetsweeper on main feeder roads into downtown once a month that would be a great help.”

Mike is correct. It is a real problem. But what’s the solution? One potential resource for Mike and other cyclists is the Savannah 311 Call Center, which its Web site suggests “provides timely responses to our citizen’s Non-emergency requests for City Services.” The service can be reached by phone by dialing 311 or by submitting requests through the Web site.

I’ve found the operators to be courteous and concerned, but careful not to provide too much assurance that issues will be resolved. This is understandable, as they simply pass on the requests to the appropriate city department. And that’s where things can break down.

Earlier this year, I called 311 about a problem similar to Mike’s: large piles of debris in a bicycle lane. The week after my call, even more piles of yard waste appeared. I called back and was assured that a city official had visited the residence and asked the occupant to discontinue the practice. The next week, more piles and more assurances. Finally, the 311 operator gave me another number to call. I dialed it, but no one answered. I gave up.

Has anyone else had experiences with the 311 Call Center? Is it an effective vehicle for resolving concerns like blocked bicycle lanes? If more than one citizen calls to complain about the same problem, is it more likely to receive attention?