Rail and bus systems need organized support fighting for them!
“Friends of ______” Groups help your local library win funding, the same principles apply to high speed rail and bus lane proposals
FEB 22, 2023
Building/upgrading a rail or bus line brings tons of benefits to regions– it increases mobility, grows the economy, and fights climate change. However it also costs money, takes time and consistent effort. That means there will always be opposition and that if political will (e.g. funding) gets redirected away from the project, then the project won’t happen. Transit agencies typically try to overcome this by pushing for dedicated funding mechanisms which help protect proposed projects from political changes— and that’s a good strategy! But that is only half of the equation. By not having a dedicated outside group also pushing for the project, then the transit agency will face its political fights for survival alone.
Or to put it bluntly–there will almost always be a “STOP THE _____” group that forms in opposition to what you want that’s dedicated to making your project fail; if you ensure that there is an equal (and more powerful!) group on your side, your odds of success go way up. With a loud, organized, powerful outside ally by your side pushing for your project you might even be able to win additional funding to speed up or improve your project.
Also– an outside group can do things to help the project that you can’t do as the official transit authority. As an official transit authority, your hands are tied and there is only so much politicking you can do before you cross the line or lose supporters. Any staffer of a transit authority who has had to smile on the outside (while fuming on the inside) in response to something an elected official said knows what I’m talking about.
But an outside group, a “Friends of _____” doesn’t have those same restrictions. They can be a powerful and loud voice of support that drowns out the naysayers and wins you the resources you need to do what you need to do. Encouraging one of those outside groups to form, forming one, and learning how to effectively work together as the outside group & official agency is possible and can help you win big– whether that’s your bus-only lane or your regional high speed rail line.
Curious about how that could happen and what that might look like? Let’s talk. Email me at Carter@carterlavin.com and let’s schedule a time.