Loves Park introduces technology to drive street repairs
Loves Park introduces technology to drive street repairs
https://www.wifr.com/2026/05/21/loves-park-introduces-technology-drive-street-repairs/
Publish Date: 2026-05-21 18:53:00
Source Domain: www.wifr.com
LOVES PARK, Ill. (WIFR) – An iPhone mounted on the hood of a truck may look a bit ridiculous, but for the Loves Park’s Public Works department, it is a major time-saver.
An iPhone mounted to the hood of a truck may look a bit ridiculous, but to Loves Park’s public works department, it is a major time saver.(Brea Walters)
The phone is the body for a new AI-driven program that identifies cracks, potholes and sign damage on city roads that need repairs.
The city is partnering with Vialytics Software, an AI road management system, to pinpoint and assess the damage. This collaboration will allow Loves Park to address problems more efficiently.
“It’s like a Google street view, it blurs out license plates, it blurs out faces, we are just trying to get an assessment of roadways to compare from year to year,” Shannon Messinger, Loves Park Public Works director, said.
The rig on the truck’s hood starts with the click of a button. It captures hundreds of photos as they drive around town.(Brea Walters)
Messinger stated the new software will be vital for understanding the city’s needs.
The rig on the truck’s hood starts with the click of a button. In just a five-minute drive around town, the tool collected 560 photos.
“It grabs all this data at a speed of driving 30 miles per hour through the neighborhood. It’s amazing the amount of detail it gives us,” Messinger said.
An iPhone mounted on the hood of a truck may look a bit ridiculous, but to Loves Park’s public works department, it is a major time-saver.(Brea Walters)
All of the photos are then uploaded to a network for analysis. Messinger explains the software allows the department to compare current road conditions with previous inspections.
Concerns from residents like Matthew Starnes inspired city leaders to get the software.
Starnes has lived in the heart of the Midwest for many years and says he dislikes driving on streets like Riverside Boulevard and Forest Hills Road.
“The roads are terrible!”…
