ARTBA launches “Transportation Investment Advocate Center” to help grow transportation infrastructure resources

image002The American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) announced Friday that it has launched a new program aimed at helping transportation advocates grow state and local transportation infrastructure resources.

The program, “Transportation Investment Advocate Center” (TIAC), is designed to be a “dynamic education program and internet-based information resource” and is part of the association’s “Transportation Makes America Work!” campaign.

The campaign includes a grassroots-focused website, an advocacy app and more.

ARTBA Chairman Doug Black says the program’s website, transportationinvestment.org, is structured “so those interested in making action happen do not have to ‘re-invent the wheel’ to mount successful campaigns.”

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Black says the idea behind the program is “to put in one place — and promote the sharing of — current strategies, sample political and communications tools, legislative and ballot initiative language, and information on where to obtain professional campaign advice, research and help.”

The site shows 39 case studies of recent transportation funding campaigns in 28 states, including television, radio and print ads that ran with those campaigns, polling data on the campaigns and media and coalition strategies used in the campaigns.

Other site features include a regularly-updated blog and an overview of funding and financing mechanisms used for supporting state and local transportation programs.

The program also includes an annual workshop, dubbed the “National Workshop for State & Local Transportation Advocates,” in Washington, D.C., which is slated to take place July 16, as well as ongoing webinars.