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Activating residents to ensure everyone benefits from safer roads and faster commutes.

Placer County Transportation Planning Agency (PCTPA)

Overview

Where do safer roads rank in the minds of Placer County residents? 

This question was a concern for the Placer County Transportation Planning Agency (PCTPA). With a goal to bring in additional funding for priority traffic projects, PCTPA needed residents to understand the need for local road projects to help alleviate regional traffic congestion, as well as to actively support the organization’s efforts to make these projects a reality. However, at the end of 2022, “traffic congestion” was coming in at number 11 of top concerns for residents in the area. 

To ensure PCTPA and its work was successful, they partnered with 3fold to accomplish three key objectives:

  1. Promote awareness of PCTPA and the work the organization does around solving transportation issues on behalf of the residents of Placer County.
  2. Position PCTPA as a trusted partner for Placer County residents.
  3. Elevate traffic and transportation issues in Placer County to top-of-mind awareness and concern over other issues.

In 2023, 18% more Placer County residents prioritized traffic issues than in 2022.

Approach

3fold knew, to generate the level of support PCTPA was seeking, our approach had to focus on three priorities relating to elevating ‘traffic congestion’ as a top-of-mind issue for residents:

  1. Make it personal.
  2. Make it relevant.
  3. Make it a priority.

Most importantly, we needed to understand how other existing safety, environmental, housing affordability, and cost-of-living concerns were affecting people’s behaviors and decisions. Essentially, we needed to remind people that ‘traffic congestion’ issues were personal, costing residents time, money, and lifestyle benefits.

Leveraging research from PCTPA partners and collaborating with local elected officials and stakeholders, 3fold built a narrative designed to create real and personal stakes for Placer County. This narrative was played out with true storytelling elements, highlighting “opponents,” “heroes,” and “victims” in the county’s transportation story. Included in everything was PCTPA, highlighted as the county’s leader in solving one of its biggest needs, bringing experience, trustworthiness, and humanity into their role.

This story was told across channels, using social media, targeted digital advertising, and key regional partnerships. In its initial phase, the outreach drove residents to the Keep Placer Moving website and to attend events hosted by local officials and stakeholders.

Impact

The activation campaign successfully raised awareness of PCTPA, its work, and showcased the benefits of its initiatives.

Results:

  • By the end of 2023, polling showed an 18% increase in the number of Placer County residents who prioritized traffic issues than in 2022.
  • Despite limited “actions” for residents, outreach content generated almost 21,000 website visits demonstrating high engagement and keen interest in road safety.
  • Overall, content generated 3.1M impressions, showing extensive digital outreach within South Placer County.

Working with 3fold Communications has been a fantastic experience. We hired them for a transit system marketing project which included the development and implementation of a community-based initiative.

Throughout the project Carolyn provided great leadership and direction when our team was unfocused, laughter when enduring design challenges, and an understanding of our diverse local culture and how that is driving the project.
3fold was the perfect partner for our proiect.

– RobinVan Valkenburgh, Transit Services Manager at Nevada County Transit

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