What Road Watch Group Members Do
As a member of the Road Watch Group, you generally, when on your normal bike rides, will be 
watching for road conditions that might be dangerous for other road cyclists.  Dangerous road 
conditions are normally things like roads closures or resurfacing.  When you encounter such 
a condition, you should report it so that the road can be added to Heartland's Road Conditions 
Report.  Here is some more information and instructions on how you can successfully perform 
your duties as a Road Watch Group volunteer.

1. Things to watch for and report
   When you are out on your normal bike rides, be on the look out for these dangerous road 
   conditions:
    1) Roads closed due to construction, a bridge out, etc.;
    2) Roads being resurfaced with new asphalt or chip seal;
    3) Roads under construction, still open, but covered with gravel;
    4) Roads under construction, still open, but very rough.

2. How to Report Dangerous Road Conditions
   It is best to report road construction or dangerous road conditions directly to Jack Friess, 
   Road Watch Group Program Coordinator.  Use the following methods (in order of preference):
    1) File a Road Conditions Report from the Heartland website.  This is by far the best method 
       since all the information that needs to be relayed is on the form.  Also, when the report 
       is filed, a notification text message is automatically sent to the Program Coordinator so 
       that the report can be processed promptly;
    2) Send a text message.  Send text message to 715-340-3132;
    3) Send an email message.  Send email to: jfriess@spacs.k12.wi.us.
    4) Call.  Call 715-340-3132; 
    5) Report in person:  Tell the Jack Friess in person.

3. What to Report
   There are 3 primary things that need to be reported:
    1) Name of the street/road/highway, such as Patch Street, Jordan Road, Co Hwy PP,  
       St Hwy 66, etc.;
    2) Description of hazardous condition, such as "Road being chip sealed";
    3) Beginning and ending point of condition, such as, for work on Dewey Road, "starts at 
       Co Hwy Y and ends at Co Hwy X";
   There are other important things too, such as your name, the date, and the location in the 
   County, but these can obtained from your email, text message or phone call.

4. Existing entries in the Road Conditions Report
   It is important to follow the progress of road construction and to let folks know when roads 
   are again open and safe to ride on.  Regarding this, a way to keep track of construction is 
   simply to ride out and visit the site.  To do this, merely check the Road Conditions Report 
   prior to departing on a ride to see which road or roads you may want to check out during your 
   ride.  Even finding out that the conditions have not changed significantly is useful informa-
   tion that should be passed on.  A simple text  message or email such as "Dewey same" will be 
   confirmation that the entry should remain in the active area of the report.  Of course, obtain-
   ing information that a construction has been completed and a text "Dewey open now" will be 
   very helpful to let other riders know they can resume using their favorite road again. If you 
   can, making weekly visits to roads on the Road Conditions Report from your normal riding 
   area(s) is extremely helpful and will assure Report entries are removed as soon as they open 
   or are safe again.