The Transportation Department will post fliers about Operation Pothole Blitz in dozens of libraries, community centers and schools, with numbers to call (212-225-5368 or 718-225-5368) to report potholes.

Even so, more Babylon residents have reported potholes over the last two years, Mr. Miller said.

Calling 311 a "one-stop shop," Mr. Green said the number could be used to report potholes or find emergency shelter.

Officials are transforming government Web sites from tedious electronic brochures into virtual service counters where the form to report potholes is only a few windows away from the vehicle registration page.

If you're reporting new potholes, you should go to fixmystreet.com or fillthathole.org.uk.

The department, they said, seemed to be trying to circumvent their authority by encouraging citizens to call a help line (212 or 718 CALL-DOT) directly to report potholes, broken traffic lights and other problems.

In May 2011 Navalny launched the RosYama project, which allowed individuals to report potholes and track government responses to complaints.

LEAD: New York City officials said yesterday that they have established a special telephone hot-line number for reporting potholes.

It's a website that uses ONS Census geography data and provides a place to report potholes and road hazards across the whole UK.

Potholes.co.uk allows the public to report potholes and highlights problem areas to local authorities.