CLEAR THE RIGHT OF WAY CAMPAIGN

PROBLEM/CHALLENGE

ADA (Americans with Disability Act) was adopted in 1990 and mandated that cities across the U.S. become barrier-free/accessible and create a transition plan showing how they would get there. The Sidewalk Master Plan is the City of Austin’s current ADA transition plan for sidewalks.

Within Austin, residents are responsible for keeping sidewalks, streets and alleys clear of debris and limbs/vegetation as well as maintaining private trees and all other vegetation in the right of way. However, in October 2019, only 20% of sidewalks were reported as “functionally acceptable”. Moreso, it was estimated that if residents cleared their sidewalks of vegetation and other obstacles, the amount of usable sidewalk in the city could double. The City would continue to replace sidewalks in need of repair and build new sidewalks, but boosting resident awareness in addition could be more effective than construction for positive change within a shorter timeframe.

Overall, keeping right of way areas clear is a simple yet impactful way for residents to contribute to the safety, functionality, and aesthetics of their neighborhoods and cities. It aids in efficient emergency response, helps identify infrastructure maintenance needs, and ensures that public spaces remain accessible and safe for all.

OBJECTIVE

Continue the department’s annual Clear the ROW (Right of Way) campaign that had been dormant for a few years to help spread the word about resident right of way responsibilities.

The campaign could change annually, allowing for new angles and perspectives on the main message. Every year, it should build upon the cumulative past efforts.

Target audience:

• 18+ year olds, all genders

• Residents in the Austin area

MULTI-YEAR APPROACH

2019 – The campaign was focused on light social media and a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) on vegetation maintenance. The AMA allowed the program manager and two members of the department’s Forestry Team to answer questions directly from the community.

2020 – The full campaign had not run for several years, so this year’s campaign goal was to advertise the widespread resident responsibilities for the right of way (streets, sidewalks and alleys).

2021 – This campaign focused more specifically on sidewalks. Select messaging aimed to dissuade residents from using sidewalks as driveways, addressing a concern highlighted by the program manager as a significant problem.

2022 – This campaign underscored the critical importance of unobstructed sidewalks for the diverse mobility needs that our city has. There was also a major push to reach the Spanish-speaking community.

The Process

Throughout my time at Austin Public Works, I assumed the role of project lead for Clear the ROW and worked in collaboration with a team of 1-3 colleagues, varying based on the specific year, for asset and content creation. I led weekly collaboration meetings to facilitate the exchange of feedback on content, designs, and strategies as well as coordinate efforts, schedule tasks, review progress, and keep the campaign on-track.

Campaign Deliverables

• Print Advertising

• Digital Advertising

• Radio Advertising

• Social Media (paid and organic)

• Media

  • Press Release

  • Talking points and interview prep

  • Video shoot prep

• Emails containing copy and/or social media kits to:

  • Mayor/City council

  • Neighborhood associations

  • Garden clubs and other associations

  • City partner departments

• Newsletter articles, print and digital

• News and TV segments

• Direct Mail Postcard

• Updated Flyer

• Program webpage and FAQ page

  • Content refresh and addition of linked graphic buttons

  • Animation explaining resident responsibilities

  • Video showing right of way accessibility needs

• Spanish advertising (print, digital, radio, TV, and social media, including working with a Spanish influencer)

Website Updates

I lead a team of 3-4 people and together we updated webpages related to this campaign. This included streamlining copy and rewriting it so the message could easily be understand by anyone, reorganizing the material, updating graphics, adding and animation and video, etc.

Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) Event

I advertised for and assisted with a Reddit AMA Event on vegetation maintenance on the Austin subreddit (r/Austin). Advertising included organic posts and ads on several different social media platforms. The Reddit event was a success with over 90 comments garnered. I followed it with a newsletter article recapping the event.

Social: The Austin Common

The Austin Common is a community-focused news organization dedicated to keeping residents well-informed. I oversaw the advertising with this outlet, which yielded unique informative illustrations (as seen on their Instagram and Facebook posts) and helped spread the campaign to an even larger audience.

Social: Influencer Marketing

I oversaw a partnership with a local social media influencer, former Spanish broadcast host Leslie Montoya, to help spread the word to the Austin hispanic population. I encouraged Leslie to use her own personality with her videos and she came up with funny and engaging spots that further extended the campaign’s reach through her Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Radio Spots

I wrote radio spots with the team for several years of the campaign. Below are just a few. They were broadcast first in English and then expanded to Spanish. Eventually I reallocated money away from English radio spots to put more money into paid social media ads since social media use skyrocketed during the pandemic.

Videos

I oversaw numerous marketing and media videos for this campaign. In addition to spearheading production of the videos, I wrote copy, scouted locations, art directed, and more. Note that I was not involved in hands-on production.

Program Metrics

Sidewalk functionality is continuously assessed and reported annually. Between 2019 and 2022, the percentage of functional sidewalks increased 60%, probably due to joint efforts of the ROW campaigns, the Forestry division’s sidewalk inspections, and the building and repairing of sidewalks that the department oversees.