Why Public Works Departments Need Better Technology
Public works departments are central to a city’s day-to-day success. They bring multidimensional value to the cities they serve, including economic, social, environmental, and cultural benefits. From maintaining roads and signage to clearing storm drains and managing right-of-way areas, these teams keep communities safe and functional. But with growing responsibilities and static resources, public works leaders are seeking new ways to operate more efficiently. That’s where public works department technology steps in. Founder and CTO of City Detect, Erik Johnson, PhD, recently commented on one of the issues impacting public works departments:
“Some cities have a lot of vacant lots, and they pay contractors to mow the lots, right? But the contractors don’t always mow t6t8he lots… and we can help just monitor, right? Are city services that are paid for actually being performed?”
A Smarter Way to Monitor Infrastructure
At City Detect, we specialize in turning routine vehicle routes into rich sources of operational data. Our AI-powered, vehicle-mounted cameras capture high-resolution imagery across the city. These images are then analyzed to detect issues like overgrown vegetation, broken signage, or blocked drainage systems automatically. Almarosa Vargas, Director of Neighborhood Services in Stockton, CA had this to say about City Detect, “What it’s essentially doing for us is making my officers more efficient.”
This kind of public works department technology allows teams to monitor infrastructure more consistently and proactively, reducing the time spent chasing problems and increasing the focus on resolving them.
“We completed a pilot demo with CityDetect earlier this year and it was able to locate 4,000 violations across 2,500 different properties. That amount of data that it was able to find in a very short amount of time—there would be no way with the staffing I have that they’d be able to do that in six months.”
– Almarosa Vargas, Stockton, CA Director of Neighborhood Services
Changing the Status Quo
Public works departments, like code enforcement, have traditionally operated in a reactive mode, responding to issues only after residents report them. These reactive tasks are piled on top of their already full plate of routine maintenance and scheduled city upkeep, stretching teams thin and making it challenging to stay ahead. But when maintenance issues are identified and addressed before they escalate, everyone benefits. City staff can work more strategically, residents experience fewer disruptions, and departments gain clear, photo-based documentation to support planning, budgeting, and interdepartmental coordination.
Though City Detect has primarily worked with code enforcement offices in cities like Greenville and Columbia, South Carolina, and Stockton, California, the use case for public works is equally strong. The same technology that helps enforce codes can be used to monitor right-of-way conditions, inspect public assets, and track recurring issues over time.
Why Simplicity Matters in a Complex Environment
Public works departments already operate in fast-paced, demanding environments that require constant adaptability. Teams juggle scheduled maintenance, emergency response, and long-term planning, often with limited resources. In that kind of high-stakes setting, the margin for trial and error is small. As a result, there’s a natural preference for tools and workflows that are proven, even if they’re slower or manual. “Better to stick with what we know” isn’t resistance to innovation—it’s risk management.
That’s why City Detect’s platform is built to integrate seamlessly into what’s already working. Data is collected passively through routine vehicle routes. Dashboards update automatically. Issues are flagged clearly and accurately, without adding new steps or complexity.
It’s a smarter layer on top of existing operations. One that empowers teams with insight, not overwhelm.
What Cities Can Expect from Public Works Department Technology
Here are the results we’ve seen with the code enforcement departments we work with:
- Faster detection and resolution of issues
- Fewer resident complaints
- Better resource allocation
- Documented support for budget requests
This is not theoretical. Public works directors across the country are already exploring these outcomes with City Detect’s support, and we’re ready to extend these tools to your city too.
Proven Impact from the Field
While City Detect’s technology has historically served code enforcement, its capabilities align closely with the needs of public works departments. The same tools used to flag property violations and environmental hazards can easily support tasks like debris tracking, right-of-way management, and storm recovery.
Take Greenville, South Carolina, for example. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, City Detect partnered with the city to support FEMA audit documentation and cleanup coordination. Using just four pickup trucks equipped with mounted cameras, City Detect covered the entire city in three days, capturing over 1,166 miles of roadway and identifying 2,964 debris piles, including 2,284 in public rights-of-way.
This data was mapped in real-time to guide cleanup crews, track progress, and maintain accurate FEMA records. The visual evidence was paired with timestamps and GPS metadata, allowing the city to validate completed work and monitor contractor performance.
Similarly, in Columbia, South Carolina, City Detect mounted AI-powered cameras on the city’s garbage truck fleet and, in just three months, detected:
- 209,534 pieces of litter
- 4,898 pieces of debris
- 753 debris piles
- 2,783 tires
- 1,398 instances of graffiti
The data was visualized through heat maps and sent to the city daily, helping direct abatement crews with precision. City Detect’s platform provided Columbia with a 24-hour turnaround on detections and is already under consideration for expansion to additional public works and code enforcement use cases.
Ready to Take the First Step?
City Detect’s approach to public works department technology is simple, scalable, and impactful. If your team is looking to improve operations and reduce workload without adding complexity, we’re here to help.
Contact us today to learn how City Detect can help your public works department move from reactive maintenance to proactive service.
Sources:
Carrión-Barco, G., Adrianzén, J., Chayan-Coloma, A., Díaz-Paredes, M., Prado-Canchari, A., Alarcon-Nuñez, C., & Lau-Hoyos, E. (2024). The Social Value of Public Infrastructure Works. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies. https://doi.org/10.36941/ajis-2024-0087.
Malacina, I., Karttunen, E., Jääskeläinen, A., Lintukangas, K., Heikkilä, J., & Kähkönen, A. (2022). Capturing the value creation in public procurement: A practice-based view. Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pursup.2021.100745.
Marinelli, M., & Antoniou, F. (2019). Improving public works’ value for money: a new procurement strategy. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMPB-04-2018-0084.
Mussinelli, E. (2024). Designing the public works values. TECHNE – Journal of Technology for Architecture and Environment. https://doi.org/10.36253/techne-16551.
Pu, Y., & Yang, X. (2024). Research on the Path of Realising the Value of Public Works under the Perspective of Value Co-creation Theory. Frontiers in Humanities and Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.54691/jj0rq382.
