Grassroots mobilization is key to our work. We're guided by the belief that regular citizens should have a place at the table. Transportation Choices provides the messages and tools needed to make voices in support of transportation reform be heard.

Examples of grassroots work include organizing annual citizen Lobby Days. We bring supporters to Olympia, train them on citizen lobbying, and set up meetings so they can speak with their representatives.

Also, we provide critical grassroots campaign planning and implementation help for local transit sales tax elections. These are local citizen campaigns in support of increased public transit funding. Transit ballot measures have been going to voters in counties across the state since 2000 to help replace funding lost with the passage of I-695 in 1999.

Another important grassroots effort is to build strong coalitions around an agenda. For example, in 2005 Transportation Choices Coalition led the environmental community’s grassroots effort to oppose Initiative 912. We recruited volunteers, spoke to community groups, hosted phone banks and activated citizens. We did this as part of a broad coalition of environmental, business and labor groups in a united campaign.

(If passed, I-912 would have eliminated funding for crucial safety projects and innovative congestion solutions. It would have put funding for rush hour transit, ferries, bike lanes, sidewalks and commute trip reduction incentives in jeopardy.)

As another example, in 2001 we organized a 44 member coalition of environmental, public interest, labor, religious and social service organizations from across the state in support of the 1/3 for Choices legislative agenda.

Other grassroots activities are geared to reaching out to our statewide grassroots base. For example, we have organized tours like the "Expanding Choices Tour" in 2001. This particular tour centered on a series of community action nights on transportation in Spokane, Tacoma, Everett and Tri-Cities. The action nights were a way for citizens to learn about and join in our efforts. Citizens came to hear about real solutions to transportation problems in Washington and find out how they could make a difference at the state and local level.