In July 2007 the Pennsylvania Legislature passed Act 44 to help fund Pennsylvania’s roads and bridges. This legislation allowed the PA Turnpike Commission to apply to the Federal Government for approval to toll Interstate 80. However, turning I-80 into a toll road threatened to devastate not only the local economy along the I-80 corridor, but also the state’s overall economy.

For the local Chambers of Commerce along I-80, battling the PA Turnpike Commission’s financial war chest and political connections was a battle unlike any they’ve ever fought. To strengthen their defenses and design an offense, they enlisted Quantum Communications.

Quantum’s goal: devise and execute a strategy to defeat the tolling scheme.

Alliance co-chairmen Ed Edwards
and Vince Matteo visit
the Williamsport Sun Gazette.
Source: Williamsport Sun Gazette

For over two years Quantum managed an extensive campaign (branded as the “Alliance to Stop I 80 Tolling”) that led to an epic victory. The PA Turnpike Commission’s tolling application was rejected by the U.S. Department of Transportation not once, not twice, but three times. This resulted in the Governor abandoning the toll plan and calling for a special legislative session to develop new options to pay for road and bridge repair.

Specifically, Quantum’s activities consisted of:

• Branding The Campaign
• Building The Alliance
• Maintaining Media Relations
• Developing Online Support
• Managing Fundraising
• Organizing Petition Drives
• Organizing Media Events
• Designing A Candidate Questionnaire
• Recruiting over 100 formal Alliance supporters – ranging from statewide organizations, local chambers of commerce, state and local elected officials, congressional leaders, boroughs, townships, and numerous other groups and well-known individuals
• Developing and maintaining a Facebook fan page that grew to nearly 1,700 supporters
• Organizing a petition drive which garnered thousands of signatures
• Securing dozens of political candidate responses to a questionnaire on tolling
• Positioning Alliance leaders as the “go-to” issue spokespersons for media across the state