Goals Given the breadth of the problem and opportunity, we have broken this into short- and long-term goals.

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1 Problem Statement To build a world-class, integrated, market-based transit and transportation system that unlocks southwestern Pennsylvania s economic potential, a community-led effort to create a regional transportation vision, and the delivery of that vision to the broader public for investment consideration, must be created. In both the short and long terms, grassroots organizing is necessary as are the standard tactics of lobbying legislators and the Governor. To really raise the discourse, however (especially in light of misconceptions locally about transit and particularly the Port Authority), these efforts should be joined to and coordinated with an educational campaign that educates the region s citizens and draws them together in a series of discussions online, in the media and in their communities. Parallel to this is the need for regional leaders of all stripes corporate, institutional, nonprofit, and local government to build political will in Harrisburg to give us the tools necessary to fund this vision. PCRG s GoBurgh will drive this effort to coordinate all parties, provide support and outreach opportunities, lobby on behalf of the citizen coalition, and help tailor and deliver the overreaching messages for key stakeholders. This organization will also be an active leader in advancing that new paradigm, through facilitating public-private partnerships where appropriate that can pay dividends for the communities it serves. Other ways it advances that new paradigm is facilitating and leading its coalition s growing recognition that this new vision may lead to a local source funding referendum to help insulate transit from the destabilizing cycle of state and federal funding failures we have seen for the past two decades. Goals Given the breadth of the problem and opportunity, we have broken this into short- and long-term goals. Short-term: Create a SWPA regional transportation vision - and statewide political will - that leads to the enactment of enabling legislation, allowing localities to tax themselves to pay for transportation priorities. Key milestones/outcomes include: Establishment of a cross-sectional, regional coalition of institutional and grassroots leaders who are the face of the visioning initiative; Develop a grass-roots engagement model that engages, educates, and solicits feedback from organizations and businesses of SWPA about what they feel their transportation priorities are; Acceptance of this community vision of SWPA transportation priorities by the leadership panel.

2 Successful advocacy by the leadership panel, for statewide political support of local funding enabling legislation Long-term Change the way southwestern Pennsylvanians view transportation planning, funding and infrastructure, and create a willingness to pay for the regional priorities via ballot initiative. Key milestones/outcomes include: Regional understanding that self-investment is the best hope the region has to fulfill its transportation priorities Cross-sector support for the transportation priorites of the other ie: manufacturing and logistics supporting transit, commercial/financial service supporting logistics priorities, etc. A change in the discourse about what transit is and its value to the region A vision of transit s future that, based in markets, improves the region and delivers big economic benefits. A clear, understandable set of priorities put forth in language the public can understand is advanced to the ballot box Successful local source funding referendum for both capital improvements, operational stability. Strategies and Tactics Accomplishing these goals requires dividing these goals into short- and long-term strategies and tactics. These strategies (and their associated tactics) are designed to transform the campaign goals into realities, and begin delivering on the outcomes outlined below. Short-term: Build the Vision from the ground up Include, in the SWPA RTA Steering Community, community-oriented faces to ensure that this effort truly looks cross-sectional to the public and not just another corporate/politician play for more money. Re-engage SWPA stakeholders of all stripes, starting with the coalition created during the transit funding crisis, to get the word out about the creation of a regional transportation vision. Retool GoBurgh s image from transit-centric to multimodal-focused, so as to help reach more people in the effort. Utilize existing resources within PCRG s GoBurgh, including its transit funding crisis work and new tools such as MySidewalk (goburgh.mysidewalk.com) to get the word out about the effort Utilize the MySidewalk site as an education, engagement, and discussion repository to collect ideas and discussions outside of public meetings.

3 Aggregate addresses and mobilize a citizen based campaign through MySidewalk that can keep the media and public informed and mobilized. Create an engagement partnership strategy with community-based organizations in suburban counties, possibly through the CAAs or large human service entities, to garner feedback from organizations throughout the region. Meet with regional newspapers to discuss the issue and its impact on their municipalities -- McKeesport, Washington (PA), Cranberry, Greensburg, etc. These publications reach a lot of people where it matters, in their communities. Create a semi-monthly newsletter that updates all MySidewalk subscribers about how the campaign is going. Also use this to drive traffic to MySidewalk site. Deliver the Vision at a highly visible media event that draws broad attention, illustrates the plan and communicates how important it could be to the region. After the delivery of the plan, shift MySidewalk to become an online publication and hub for all things transportation. Begin to meld the short term and long term goals of this initiative so that the Vision becomes the first step in a much longer effort to revamp our approach to transportation in the region. Act as a resource and facilitating leader to existing coalition and expand work to interest groups and specific constituencies currently outside GoBurgh s umbrella Create an area on MySidewalk that acts as an online hub for news, information, coordination and planning among involved stakeholders and MySidewalk subscribers to tackle this problem. This is separate from the vision and long term plan that the wiki exists to create, but it leverages the two audiences and gives them two different ways to stay informed and communicate. Create educational sessions for stakeholders to spur conversation about transportation priorities, garner feedback, and begin education about why investing in ourselves is the best way forward. Regularly update the RTA steering committee about emerging trends and priorities from regional stakeholder organizations, and how they tie into a broad vision. Long-Term Build on the delivery of the Vision, use it as the springboard for enabling legislation and a ballot initiative. Ensure the ongoing conversation on MySidewalk is vibrant and productive so that a creative, exciting and integrated transportation vision emerges from it. Create and visualize Case Studies from other cities and regions that illustrate and inspire new and different ways to tackle transportation challenges. Adapt and improve on this so they work for this region. Organize the contributions and solutions gathered in MySidewalk into a professional and compelling presentation of creative solutions.

4 Visualize the vision into a five to ten minute movie that summarizes and powerfully illustrates what the implementation of the MySidewalk plan could mean to the region. Testify at hearings, where necessary, to highlight the importance of the vision to the region. Participate in Legislative visits to educate politicians and staff about the opportunity and need for local funding tools. Organize region-wide stakeholder efforts to sell Legislators on the idea of enabling legislation. Crystalize the Regional Vision into a set of specific funding priorities, by engaging the broader public (see below) in a discussion of opportunities and challenges. Using these priorities, create the ballot initiative and subsequent educational campaign tactics. C3s and C4s, independent of the Allegheny Conference or PCRG (or PCRG-type entities) should be created to carry the effort forward. Mount creative, mainstream communications campaign designed to reach the average Joe and Joann to educate them about new ways transportation challenges can be met. Write Op-Ed pieces and essays for large and small regional newspapers to redefine the issue, illustrate how other regions in the United States and the world have taken control of their own transportation future. Illustrate how Pittsburgh can as well. Develop a cool Transportation of the Future project with the Science Center. This would be a kind of futuristic counterpoint to the current (and very popular) old railroad exhibit at the Center. In a first phase people would design a virtual Future Pittsburgh and then a real model would be built based on these ideas and those that come out of MySidewalk. A real working model could be tremendously fun and powerful in helping to bring a new vision to life, as well as a different way for kids to see that transportation isn t just about cars and roads. Create a campaign that can visually change the image of public transit and transportation in the minds of people. Before and after pictures from other cities like New York, Portland, etc Semi-monthly newsletter online to all GoBurgh members and MySidewalk subscribers that updates them on important issues and breakthroughs. GoBurgh members would also agree to pass each issue along to their members. This has to be engaging and compelling, not your normal stuff (see the AllThingsHuman weekly newsletter as an example). Develop Come out of the Closet public transit ad campaign. Mom, dad, I have something to tell you. I know this will be difficult for you to accept, but I ride the bus (T). (See if we can get a local ad agency to produce it on the cheap.) Explore the creation of other fun and creative ad campaigns. Arrange ongoing one-on-one meetings with local reporters about specific issues, developed talking points. This keeps the issue on their radar so that they report regularly about it. One of the best ways to educate the public is to educate the Fourth Estate.

5 Appear on round-table radio and television shows in the region that deal with public affairs. Create an online media warehouse on the MySidewalk or GoBurgh site that houses images, case studies, statistics, examples, video etc that news media can easily get their hands and download quickly to augment their research. Large and small town meetings organized in conjunction with GoBurgh and PCRG members and supporters including the Allegheny Conference, Sustainable Pittsburgh, Bike Pittsburgh etc (integrate with MySidewalk meetings). Selected ads in regional newspapers. Explore corporate sponsorship of ads on electronic billboards. PNC, for example, buys a one month ad for the campaign because so many of its employees rely on Public Transit. Continue Work Interest Groups/Specific Constituencies See previous short term strategy. Meld these ongoing outreach efforts so that they continue in this longer term phase. Change How We Change Reinforce MySidewalk s effectiveness by creating the long-term vision based upon the outcomes of the project. Work with political leaders to make sure that they adhere to that vision, regardless of leadership change, and are actively working to advance that vision. Utilize the MySidewalk database of participants as a mobilization force for the vision, and against projects and policies that are against that vision. Consider providing follow-up, assistance from a small staff of community organizer experts to help with efforts outlined using the software above. (Think LegalZoom.) This staff would be provided by the Transportation Trust created as part of Phase IV. Advance necessary legislative changes, in Harrisburg and at the local level, to encourage more public-private investment in transit and greater local control over our systems and networks. Additional Desired Outcomes These Combined Strategies and Tactics Should Deliver Help citizens, the media, politicians, NGOs and government agencies approach transportation issues and planning in fresh, exciting and creative ways. Nineteenth and 20th century strategies are not going to work in the 21st century. Increase the population of the region. Make the region more attractive to start-up companies who need a mobile and diversified work force.

6 Make the region more attractive to large, established employers who look for a diverse and mobile work force. Make it easier and more affordable for people to get to places where they work, play, learn and visit with one another. Broaden opportunities for people -- students, workers, professionals, physically and mentally challenged citizens -- people of all stripes by enabling to get to where they want and need to go quickly, easily and affordably. Create a more sustainable and efficient metropolitan region. Improve land-use which makes the region and its neighborhoods more walkable, more human. Create scalable and attractive corridors that link the region s neighborhoods and communities. Integrate all forms of transportation--pedestrian, cycling, auto, public transit, water--so that they complement and support one another rather than ignore or compete with one another. Find new and reasonable regional funding sources for building transportation systems that work for the region that enable the Pittsburgh area to take greater control of how transportation serves its citizens. Bring Pittsburgh into the circle of truly great, first class cities; an example of the very best kind of urban living. Infrastructure/Capacity Needs Administrative support specifically related to GoBurgh campaigns. Full-time position. Engage an event coordinator for arranging media events (like the MySidewalk closure meeting) and help with coordination among GoBurgh members of Transportation Week and Transportation Day events. Hire an Outreach Coordinator during Phase III who ensures the messages we are creating gets out to PCRG members and the other GoBurgh partners.