1) What is the campaign?
The 2010 Campaign for Active Transportation is an effort to elevate trails, walking and biking nationally by doubling the federal investment in active transportation. Specifically, the campaign centers around an urban reinvestment strategy in which dozens of communities are empowered to advocate for federal funds to make focused investments in infrastructure and programs to shift automobile trips to walking and biking.

2) What communities are involved?
Communities from across the country and of all sizes are involved in the campaign. A list of engaged communities – i.e., those that have submitted local active transportation case statements to RTC – will be available once these documents have been submitted and processed, sometime in the summer of 2008.

3) What other national organizations have signed on to the campaign?
The primary strength of the campaign derives from a bottom-up strategy of giving voice to persuasive local advocates from communities across the country. Also critical will be sympathetic leaders in Congress who are positioned to champion the effort. RTC serves on the Executive Committee of T4 America, a national transportation reform coalition, representing America Bikes, a coalition of national bicycling advocacy groups like the League of American Bicyclists and Thunderhead. These groups are just beginning to develop their platforms for transportation reauthorization, but will move forward quickly this summer in anticipation of serious reauthorization deliberations starting in the fall of 2008.

5) If I will be speaking with members of my congressional delegation about the campaign, should I contact RTC?
It is important that RTC be kept in the loop about any conversations with members of Congress about the campaign. Ideally, RTC should be contacted both before the meeting (to give us a heads-up and to allow us to provide you suggestions on messaging to ensure your member's support), as well as after (so we can track such conversations to inform future meetings). This is not intended as a muzzle, but rather as a service; if an opportunity to engage a congressperson presents itself without advance warning, the chance to discuss the campaign and the need for more walking and biking should not be missed.

7) How will community case statements be used?
Local active transportation case statements will be posted on RTC's Web site*. These case statements may be consulted by congressional staffers researching the campaign or others looking for more information on a particular community.

Further, compelling examples from select communities' case statements will be culled for use in a national case statement. RTC will use this national study to make the case to Congress and others to justify the program.

Finally, the utility of the case statements as a tool to be used by local advocates and supporters should not be underestimated. These documents present your best case for increased walking and biking resources, along with a coherent plan to shift trips to walking and bicycling. From town hall gatherings to meetings with your congressional delegation, your case statement should be a useful leave-behind.

8) Should case statements focus only on trails, or on other facilities as well?
The ultimate goal of the program is to shift trips to walking and biking. As such, your case statement should focus on facilities and strategies that advance this goal. Therefore, you should consider completing (or working toward the completion of) a seamless network of on- and off-road facilities, providing adequate trails and bicycle boulevards to encourage novice cyclists, linking active transportation routes with transit and destinations—in general, connecting places where people live, work and play. Additionally, Personal Transportation Planning (PTP) programs should be considered to improve bicycle and pedestrian mode share.

9) To whom should letters of support be addressed?
Letters should be addressed to your congressional delegation: your two senators and your representative (or representatives, if your community bridges multiple congressional districts).

10) Should we focus primarily in the center city, or be broader in our campaign region?
The question of geographic scope arises frequently, and is one that must be deliberated and addressed locally. Factors that will influence your decision include local and regional political support, governance bodies that may be able to provide additional resources if they are included, how the exclusion of local or regional groups might be perceived, and more. Again, note that the ultimate goal is mode shift, so questions of geographic scope should take into consideration density, land use, street patterns, and other factors.

11) What should be included in the executive summary?
The one-page executive summary should present the overall aim of your case statement. By speaking succinctly to your community strengths and potential, you allow those with limited time to understand the need for more local active transportation.

Be sure to include participating groups, the date of publication and contact information in your executive summary.