How To Report A Problem
Thank you for paying attention to walking conditions in your community!
Some municipalities in Massachusetts use online reporting systems to collect road/sidewalk condition concerns. Click a city/town on the map below to find out if an online reporting system exists for your community. If there is no online reporting link, either that municipality does not use online reporting, or we have not yet heard about their system. Municipalities have varying records on addressing issues submitted through online reporting systems. Follow the instructions below to follow up on an online report or to speak to someone directly.
There are other ways to report issues that you see if a city/town does not have online reporting.
First, you need to determine who owns the road. To find this out, click here and search for the road. If it is a city or town-owned road, it will not be shown in color. All other roads are displayed in the color shown in the legend. Second, contact one of the departments below based on your search results.
- If MassDOT owns the road, reach out to the District office identified on the interactive map above. Office phone numbers for each district are provided. Ask to speak with the District Bike/Ped Coordinator and they will work with you to figure out how to proceed.
- If DCR (Department of Conservation and Recreation) owns the road, contact your regional DCR office.
- If the City/Town owns the road, your first contact should be a municipal office, usually the Department of Public Works. In larger municipalities, there may also be a Planning or Transportation Department. It may take you a few calls to find the right person, so be persistent.
Other entities that can be helpful in improving walking conditions in your area include:
- Regional Planning Agency – These public organizations serve the local governments and people within their individual districts through planning and policymaking, and other issues involving transportation, infrastructure development/maintenance (e.g. streetlights), and environmental stewardship. There are 14 regional planning agencies in Massachusetts and each is identified on the interactive map above. Call and ask to speak to someone in the transportation department.
- Transit Authority – If your concern is related to bus stops, reach out to one of the 16 transit authorities identified on the interactive map above. Call and ask to speak to someone in the operations department.
If you have any questions or suggestions on improving this page, please fill out the form below or email us at report@walkboston.org.