Columbia Daily Tribune (Thursday, November 29, 2007): Original story
Program gets leg up: City launches new moniker for PedNet
By KAT HUGHES of the Tribune’s staff
Columbia’s $22 million federal Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program traded its formal name for something a bit catchier.
Mike Vangel of Vangel Marketing Communications unveiled the new name and tag line - "GetAbout Columbia: See where it takes you" - at an open house for the project’s new office yesterday. He told told the 30 or so attendees about the importance of the new name to acquaint residents with the project in a positive way.
"We think GetAbout Columbia is a lot more fun and memorable than the ‘federal highway Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program,’ or FHNTPP, as we like to call it," said Vangel, whose firm came up with the name. "We hope it will encourage people, in a simple and user-friendly way, to get about town, get about life and get about Columbia."
The project, formerly known as PedNet, is funded by a grant of $22 million in federal highway funds and is aimed at getting people to use more nonmotorized forms of transportation, such as walking and biking. Columbia is one of four cities that received federal money for the experiment, which will build more than 100 miles of new bikeways, pedways and sidewalks.
The new name and logo are part of a $2 million marketing campaign to increase awareness and encourage people to use the system. The $2 million includes funding for the PedNet Coalition, a not-for-profit organization in charge of education and outreach programs that will help people find ways to leave their vehicles behind.
Ted Curtis, manager of the project, said the city will "get the most bang for its buck" on marketing rather than infrastructure. That’s why 10 percent to 15 percent of the project’s budget will be spent on public relations and outreach, he said.
"They say, ‘If you build it they will come,’ but I’m not sure that necessarily works in this case," Curtis said. "If people don’t know about it, they won’t be able to take advantage of the infrastructure changes we’re working on."