Road Report | Devpost

Inspiration

Michigan is known for its harsh winters, which often lead to severe pothole problems on roads across the state. As residents ourselves, we’ve experienced the frustration and damage caused by these hazards. We wanted to create an easy-to-use platform where anyone can report potholes, ensuring they are quickly brought to the attention of local authorities. Our goal is to improve road safety and the driving experience by empowering citizens to contribute to the maintenance of their community’s infrastructure

What it does

Using RoadReport, the user is able to fill in the exact location of a pothole onto an interactive map, grade the severity on a scale from 1 to 5, and the rating system prioritizes repairs based on urgency and hazard of operation. The app dictates the transcripts of the reports that will then be forwarded directly to the city officials for a fast and effective procedure in repairing potholes. They can also see the real-time status of their reports and other pothole reports that may be in proximity. It is simple and intuitive, aimed at making it easy to let citizens be part of improving safety and smoothness on roads in the community.

How we built it

We built RoadReport using Next.js for the front-end to create a fast and user-friendly interface, with integrated Google Maps API for location tracking and map functionality. For the back-end, we used Flask to handle report submissions and status updates, providing a lightweight and efficient solution. Our database is powered by SQL, allowing for structured and reliable storage of user reports and pothole data. We also implemented an auto-transcription feature that generates formal requests for the city based on user input, ensuring a streamlined communication process with local authorities.

Challenges we ran into

One of the main challenges we faced was getting accurate, live user location data for reporting potholes. The issue stemmed from the API refusing to send back the necessary location data consistently, which required extensive debugging and alternative solutions. This problem impacted the app’s ability to automatically detect user locations in real time. Additionally, we encountered several syntax issues during development, which required careful troubleshooting and slowed progress at certain points. Despite these challenges, we successfully worked through them and delivered a functional, user-friendly app.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

As beginners, we’re especially proud of our ability to learn and effectively utilize APIs, which was a key part of making RoadReport functional. We successfully integrated technologies like React, Next.js, and Flask into our project, despite the steep learning curve. Overcoming challenges like API issues and debugging complex syntax has been a significant accomplishment, and we’re excited about how much we’ve grown as developers throughout this project. Seeing the app come together from concept to working product is something we take great pride in.

What we learned

As beginners, we’re especially proud of our ability to learn and effectively utilize APIs, which was crucial to making RoadReport functional. We successfully integrated technologies like React, Next.js, and Flask into our project, even though the learning curve was steep. Throughout the process, we learned how to tackle API issues, resolve complex syntax errors, and optimize the interaction between frontend and backend components. This project has significantly enhanced our understanding of full-stack development, and we’re excited about how much we’ve grown as developers, turning a concept into a working product.