Rails to Trails Program - Research Paper Example

As a function of this particular level of analysis, the author will discuss five of the sea goals/accomplishments that Rails to Trails has elaborated on within its 2011 annual report. By engaging in a summary and objective analysis of these goals and competence, it is the hoped that the reader can come to a more appreciable understanding of detailed victories and further goals that program necessarily engenders. Secondly, as a means of determining the effectiveness of the entity in question, the analysis will also engage with an analysis and discussion of whether media coverage of the group has been on the whole either positive, negative, or neutral.

Likewise, by leveraging an understanding of the internal accomplishments and goals that the group seeks to affect as well as understanding the likely level to which societal shareholders have engaged with the group via the media, it will be able for the analysts to calm to a more clear and definitive understanding of whether or Not the macro and micro scheme that the group seeks to affect has a likelihood of general success. It can and should be understood that a broad and overarching goal that Rails to Trails has sought to affect is with regards to the level and extent to which the entity and its stakeholders continually seek to engage key members of Congress.

This is done so that awareness within the minds of the legislatures can be created and key responses made with regards to proposed legislation and potential cuts (Hannan 44). In this manner, it can be understood by the reader that one of the primary goals with which Rails to Trails seeks to engage is with regards to the current economic environment; the environment in which the clear and present need for economic cuts places the life blood of Rails to Trails at a distinct risk. Accordingly, one of the greatest, judgments that was detailed within the annual report 2011 was with regards to the general success which was achieved at keeping the Federal Transportation Fund available to both highways and trails.

Movements and interest by key legislators to remove trails and walking paths into the general fund of the Federal Transportation Fund; whereas before these programs that always enjoyed a degree of safety from the competition that the general fund would necessarily imply. Secondary item of success and a compliment is with regards to the way in which Rails to Trails engaged with Representative Mica. This was done in something of an expert manner due to the fact that Representative Mica only recently became the head of the Transportation Infrastructure Program; a powerful body that was able to decide what expenditures or cuts would be made to key government programs (Fisher 10).

Due to the fact that Representative Mica was a Republican, it would’ve been easy for the organization to merely seeks to combat him rather than co-opt him. However, a resounding success was able to be realized when stakeholders from Representative Mica’s home district were able to begin passing several resolutions. These resolutions had the impact of encouraging Representative Mica to consider his view upon funding cuts and ultimately support the Rails to Trails Program. Another means by which a level of success was able to be realized was with regards to the partnership with the Campaign for Active Transportation (CAT).

As a means of providing a unified voice and engaging with other stakeholders to maximize the combines impact upon legislation and potential cuts looming on the horizon, this particular engagement was extraordinarily helpful to achieving these goals (Hearne 118). Yet another compliment is with regards to the bipartisan support that Rails to Trails was able to