CARL SHEPPARD LARSON

Even in a small city like Portland, there aren't enough hours in the day to sit on every advisory committee, attend every open house, and track every new development in local transportation projects. To address this problem, I created the Bicycle Transportation Alliance's "Project Advisory Council" – a group of dedicated volunteers who attend meetings and track projects in the organization's stead.

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We already had a number of volunteers doing this type of work but it was unstructured, difficult to manage, and experience varied widely. The Project Advisory Council formalized the role, introduced an online reporting form, and provided best-practices training sessions. I gave presentations on NACTO's Urban Bikeway Design guide and the Dutch CROW Design Manual for Bicycle Traffic as well as primers on public testimony, letter writing, and the difference between pressure and persuasion.

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With my training and oversight, these volunteers kept us informed and well-represented for a wide range of projects, from minor pilot projects to decades-long rail-trail building efforts.

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