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Governing Magazine - Placemaker Profile: Allan Jacobs
WHO WE ARE
David Burwell
Senior Associate, TransportationDavid currently acts as Senior Advisor to PPS in developing PPS’s domestic and international programs in transportation, parks and squares, civic buildings, and public markets. David also advises PPS on its organizational development and has been instrumental in shaping PPS’s strategic plan.
David brings to PPS an exceptional history of experience. As a co-founder of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and its President and CEO from 1986-2001, he created and managed a grassroots advocacy campaign to preserve America’s system of abandoned rail corridors for conversion to trails and greenways. RTC has assisted in protection and conversion of more than 11,500 miles of open rail-trail, with 18,000 more miles in development through its grassroots organizing, coalition building, policy, lobbying, litigation, research and education, special event organizing, communications and direct land acquisition. David helped create coalitions in support of RTC such as American Trails (founding Chair), Coalition for Recreational Trails (founding Board member), and the Surface Transportation Policy Project (founding Chair).
David served for seven years at the Surface Transportation Policy Project, a national coalition to change transportation policy and to restore balance in transportation service delivery, as co-founder, fundraiser, and chair. He also served as STPP’s President and CEO from 2001-2003. STPP has become the premiere voice for change in national transportation policy and played a significant role in crafting the reform provisions of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) and the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century of 1998 (TEA-21). Upon his retirement as Chair of STPP Mr. Burwell was awarded the first annual STPP “Transportation Achievement Award” which was named in his honor.
David has a particular interest in transportation policy and research, especially with respect to the affect of transportation on our natural environment. From 1992 through 1998 he served on the Executive Committee of the Transportation Research Board, the transportation research arm of the National Academy of Sciences. He presently Chairs the TRB Task Force on Transportation and Sustainability and serves on the TCRP panel on “Combating Global Warming Through Sustainable Surface Transportation Policy.” He also serves on the Oversight Committee of the Future Strategic Highway Research Program (F-SHRP) a proposed six-year, $450 million research initiative to align transportation research with national policy objectives. In 1999 he authored “Transportation, Sustainability and Land use,” a resource paper for the TRB conference on Transportation Planning in the 21st Century.
Education
University of Virginia School of Law, J.D. 1973.
Dartmouth College, Bachelor of Arts, 1969 (honors, Government).
Previous Employment
Member of Executive Committee, 1992-1998
Transportation Research Board, National Research Council.
Director of Special Projects and Natural Resource Centers, 1980-1986
National Wildlife Federation, Washington, D.C.
Director, Transportation and Public Works Program, 1977-1980
National Wildlife Federation
Other Volunteer Activities
Founding Board Member, Great American Station Foundation (1996-present)
Founding Board Member, Smart Growth America (2001-2003)
Director, Transportation and Consumer Rights Program, 1974-1977, Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group, Boston, Mass.
U.S. Peace Corps, Bignona, Senegal 1969-1970. Taught English in the TEFL Program.
Mahady & Hudson Law Firm, White River Junction, Vt. 1973-1974. General practice of law.
Honorable Discharge, U.S. National Guard (medical unit) 1973
