With increased competition for transportation dollars, it is more important than ever to provide citizens with the skills and knowledge to effectively participate in transportation decisions affecting their neighborhoods. For more than ten years, the City of Portland and Portland State University have teamed up to offer a class intended to help city residents become more effective advocates on local transportation issues. The course, designed for the neighborhood activist, is facilitated by a transportation planning consultant. The intended outcome is to provide a way to impart knowledge and skills to local residents and activists so they may become more informed and active leaders in their local transportation planning efforts.