Transportation Consulting Firms

Transport planning isn't just engineering. It's social work with a calculator. We talk a lot about "Level of Service" and "Traffic Flow". But here is what a bad bus route actually means: It means a single mother turns down a better-paying job because the commute is 2 hours each way. It means a student drops out because they can't get to the university campus reliably. Mobility is the physical manifestation of opportunity. If you cut a bus line to save budget, you aren't just saving fuel. You are cutting off access to the economy for the people who need it most. I don't design transport systems to move vehicles. I design them to move people out of poverty. It sounds dramatic. But look at the data. Access to transport is one of the most important factors in escaping poverty. Does your city prioritize speed or coverage? #SocialImpact #Mobility #PublicTransport #Equity #UrbanPlanning

I’ve been following ambitious corridor-projects across Africa with interest — for example the Trans‑African Highway Network. It show us that modern transport infrastructure isn’t just a road or a bridge - it’s about linking modes, countries, industries and people. In our region, the upcoming Mombasa–Nairobi Expressway exemplifies this shift: high-speed toll highway, international trade corridor, integration of rural and urban access. Will it materialize? So what this means for us: • We need to design with the full corridor in mind - roads connecting to ports/rails, logistics hubs, feeder networks. • We must adopt data-driven and maintenance-efficient models - it’s not just about new infrastructure, but about keeping it working. • Equity and access matter - how do these big corridors benefit small towns, informal economies, everyday users? Excited to contribute in this space. If you’re working in corridor planning, multimodal integration, or smart highways, let’s connect and share insights.

Chicago's transit faces a $1.5 billion annual deficit. Yet we're sitting on a $1 billion solution hiding in plain sight. Three reforms can close most of the funding gap: A fair, regional transfer tax (1% across 6 counties = $300M annually) + Capturing 5% of property taxes from “transit sheds” ($600M annually) + Transit agencies actively co-developing and managing their properties ($100M annually) Transit produces billions in property value. Our agencies get crumbs. The choice is stark: continue subsidizing private wealth with public infrastructure, or capture a fair share of the value we create. Chicago pioneered elevated rail. We proved transit's economic power. Now we must prove we're smart enough to fund what we built—before it's too late to matter. Full analysis below. Illinois General Assembly Regional Transportation Authority of Northeastern Illinois (RTA) Chicago Transit Authority Metra Commuter Rail Pace Suburban Bus #Chicago #Transit #UrbanPlanning #PublicTransportation #EconomicDevelopment #TransitOrientedDevelopment #UrbanPolicy #Infrastructure #RealEstate #ETOD

Is a #city still planning transport if the sky is missing from the map? And when should a city start planning for aviation as part of its transport system Not when the first aviation technology arrives. Not when a vertiport or heliport investor knocks on the door. But at the same moment we plan metro lines, bus lanes and bike streets. #Safety must be the first filter. If an operation cannot be safe for residents, passengers and crews, no amount of funding or design will justify it. Planning early is not about pushing aircraft into cities, it is about making sure future decisions sit inside aviation safety culture from day one. Billions of $$$ have already been poured into new #evtol aircrafts, and we have real vehicles that are flying today like #drones and #helicopters. Making those business models work might not be the city responsibility, but planning for better transport absolutely is. Waiting for perfect #technology can cost more than preparing early, as we learned in telecom, energy and rail. Planning early does not mean building tomorrow. It means leaving room, protecting corridors, thinking about rooftops and interchanges so the city does not block itself before the market matures. Urban aviation is about what happens after landing. A pad beyond a highway is aviation, not mobility. A pad linked to transit, sidewalks and public space becomes part of the city. Cities can think about this on 3 levels: 1- Inner city, last mile: Near hospitals, stations and business districts the focus is walking distance, noise buffers and ground flows, guided by strict safety envelopes. 2- Outer city, connectors: Industrial zones and secondary hubs can host early operations with lower social risk and link regional flights with urban centers. 3- Suburbs, community fit: Residential areas require emergency use, medical transport and careful integration with local streets before any routine service. Even today helicopters, drones and airports are hard puzzles for cities. The #technology is ahead of the planning, and we risk wasting safety and money simply because we do not know how to organize a city around them. At LYNEports we test locations early so planning stays flexible before funding and construction lock in the wrong choices. The real question is not when aircraft will be ready. It is when cities will be ready. How do you see aviation should enter your local #mobility plan? #Transport #Mobility #Sustainability #Sky #Safe #Airspace

Why are we still struggling to deliver vision-led, sustainable places – even when national policy tells us that’s exactly what we should be doing? I’ve written a new article that shines a light on one of the biggest unspoken barriers in our profession: DfT Circular 01/2022. On paper, the Circular nods to sustainable development and reduced car dependency. But in practice, it continues to drive a predict-and-provide, SRN-first approach that overrides the NPPF’s vision-led planning expectations. This has very real consequences: - Local Plans are being constrained by outdated SRN-based modelling - Multimodal strategies are being over-ruled by highway delay tests - SRN capacity becomes the de-facto determining factor in major growth decisions - Active travel and public transport visions get squeezed out by investment in junction capacity - Government bodies are not aligned – and National Highways’ interpretation too often takes primacy This matters enormously for the Government’s flagship New Towns programme. Because unless C1/22 and the National Highways Operating Licence undergo major reform, we risk a future where: ❗New Towns require massive up-front highway investment before they can progress ❗ Long-term car dependency becomes structurally baked in ❗ Sustainable transport becomes an afterthought, not the driver ❗ Development is shaped by SRN constraints rather than vision-led planning In other words: We will unintentionally recreate the very problems the policy claims to solve. If we’re serious about delivering walkable, transit-led, decarbonised New Towns, then the policy, modelling and governance frameworks all need to point in the same direction. Right now, they don’t. My article sets out why and what needs to change. It’s time to have an honest conversation. Join the debate on the 4th December https://lnkd.in/eVu-qMDX Join the Transport Planning Society #NewTowns #VisionLed #TPS #TransportPlanning

With over 11 million inhabitants, Germany's federated state of Baden-Württemberg is planning for a 55% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 for the transport sector—which is responsible for a third of its total emissions. To achieve this, they have set five ambitious targets. 1️⃣ Double public transport usage: Service levels are to be improved and capacities increased. In addition to improving the reliability and travel-time of train/tram/bus travel, a considerable expansion of services is intended to ensure a reliable service in the region as a whole. 2️⃣ One in two trips by foot or bike: The share of trips by bike should increase from 10 to 20% and foot from 21 to 30%. The 8,000 km cycle network will be brought up to standard, supplemented by 20 express paths. Pedestrian infrastructure will be supported via funding programmes. 3️⃣ One fifth less car traffic: Road space is to be upgraded, and means of sustainable mobility to be facilitated and strengthened. Cost-based parking management and repurposing will improve public space. High quality car sharing services are to be available throughout the region. 4️⃣ Half of freight moved by climate-neutral means: Favourable competitive conditions are to be created through a (truck) toll on roads. Further expansion of rail infrastructure, and sustainable and efficient city logistics will be planned with the use of climate-neutral vehicles. 5️⃣ One in two cars powered by renewable energy: 2,000,000 private and 100,000 public charging points will be created. A framework will be developed at federal and EU levels to make e-cars cheaper. Benefits shall be provided for the users, like the creation of zero-emission zones. Developed in dialogue with citizens and stakeholders, Baden-Württemberg's blueprint ultimately recognizes the transformation of the transport sector as an opportunity—to concurrently increase quality of life and access to opportunity in urban and rural areas across the region.

When we talk about transport challenges in cities, the focus is often only on congestion. But mobility is more than traffic jams. It is a system shaped by three intertwined elements: supply, demand and performance. 1️⃣ Supply is what cities provide: roads, footpaths, buses, trains and vehicles. We have some data here, but it is scattered and incomplete. 2️⃣ Demand is about people: how, when, where and why they travel. This is the missing piece, because demand data is rarely collected regularly. 3️⃣ Performance is about outcomes that show how well the system works: peak-hour travel times, the share of trips by public transport, average trip length, crash numbers and the pollution the system generates. The biggest gap is in understanding the demand. Without knowing how people actually travel, it becomes difficult to design systems that meet the city’s needs. One way to address this is through a 2% sample household travel behaviour analysis. This would give us clear insights into travel patterns like trip characteristics (origin, destination, mode, purpose), time and distance, demographic factors (household size, income, vehicle ownership). The cost for such an analysis is only about 5 to 10 crores, which is small compared to the 1000s of crores we will be spending on urban transport projects. Our new expert note, ‘Toward a Framework to Support Better Decision Making in India’s Mobility Planning’ lays out a framework for this approach. It calls for a return to first principles: collect the right data, understand how supply and demand shape each other, and use these insights to inform city decisions while building a shared understanding of this framework across the mobility planning community. 🔗 Read here: https://lnkd.in/gwbpCGNf We hope that this helps cities take a more systematic approach to mobility planning, one where investments are based on real commuter needs and the outcome is safe, clean, and sustainable transport for everyone.

🏘️ Rural areas matter in #MobilityPlanning! Rural regions make up 83% of the EU’s land area and host nearly one-third of the population. They also experience 3x more tourism nights per inhabitant than urban regions, with higher spending, though strongly seasonal. Yet, a 2021 Eurobarometer survey shows that the top concern for rural residents is connectivity and transport infrastructure 🛣️. This is where initiatives such as the TEN-T Regulation and the Long-Term Vision for EU Rural Areas (LTVRA) play a growing role: strengthening rural–urban links through multimodal, safer and more resilient transport networks, and ensuring that #RuralMobility challenges are better integrated into SUMPs. 📝 For mobility planners, it is crucial to recognise cross-territorial commuting patterns and the uneven access to services in rural areas. Supporting rural municipalities and regions with digitalisation, road safety, the development of multimodal hubs, and the expansion of public and shared transport options remains essential🌟, as does the identification of #EUFunds and other financing frameworks that play a key role in ensuring sustainable financing and bridging the gap between ambition and implementation. BABLE Smart Cities | #SustainableTransport #RuralDevelopment #MobilityPlanning #LTVRA #RuralConnectivity #SmartVillages #TourismMobility #FutureOfRuralAreas

#𝐋𝐎𝐆_𝐍𝐎_𝟏𝟓𝟕 🚧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐚 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 | 𝐔𝐌𝐏 𝐎𝐂𝐖 Highway and Traffic Engineering manual prepared by Pn. Azlina Ismail and Dr. Intan Suhana Razelan (Faculty of Civil Engineering & Earth Resources, UMP). This content is based on REAM standards and contributes significantly to the understanding of transport network planning, access control, and road design. 🛣️ 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝: 📌 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: ● Federal Roads: Managed under the Federal Road Ordinance; links state capitals and international borders. ● Privatized/Toll Roads (e.g., E8): Operated by concessionaires with full access control. ● State Roads: Managed by states; intra-state connectivity. ● Local Authority Roads: Serve urban developments and neighborhoods. ● District Roads: Managed by district offices; lower hierarchy. 🛣️ 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Rural Hierarchy: ● Expressways (R6): High-speed roads (≥110 km/h), full access control. ● Highways/Primary Roads (R5): High-speed, partial access control. ● Secondary Roads (R3–R4): Medium speeds, regional connections. ● Minor Roads (R1–R2): Local access, low traffic. Urban Hierarchy: ● Expressways (U6): High-speed, grade-separated urban routes. ● Arterials (U5–U4): Major intra-city movement, partial access control. ● Collectors (U3): Feed traffic from locals to arterials. ● Local Streets (U1–U2): Serve neighborhoods, short trip lengths. 🚦 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐓𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬: ● Full Access Control (F): Access limited to interchanges only. ● Partial Access Control (P): Limited connections; minimal at-grade intersections. ● Non-Access Control (N): Open access throughout (typical of local roads). Selection of access control depends on: ● Existing and future development ● Intended road function and network role ● Traffic volume and safety 📘 Learning Outcome: This study enhanced my understanding of how functional hierarchy, design speed, urban vs. rural context, and access control affect roadway planning and safety. The principles are applicable not only in Malaysia but also for comparative analysis with international road classification systems. #𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 #𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 #𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 #𝐔𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 #𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 #𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌 #𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 #𝐂𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 #𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 #𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 #𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 #𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 #𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬

Call for expressions of interest for contributions to the Special Issue of the journal Sustainability: Sustainable Transportation Planning: Gender, Mobility and Care Sustainable transportation planning is critical to achieving equity, decarbonization, and resilience in urban systems, while reducing reliance on private vehicles, optimizing resource efficiency, and enhancing accessibility. This Special Issue focuses on advancing strategies that address the specific mobility needs of women, including intersections with other variables such as age, race, ethnicity, and economic status, alongside at least one of the following aspects: (i) the integration of public transport with regional planning; (ii) innovations in micromobility, active and autonomous mobility, and demand or shared services, either in urban or rural settings. Public transport remains the backbone of sustainable and equitable urban mobility, but its effectiveness depends on seamless connectivity with micromobility, emerging shared and demand services, and active mobility modes. This Special Issue aims to explore the intersection of gender approaches to transport and accessibility, with the implementation of policies that better respond to women’s travel needs at two scales: the metropolitan or regional scale, and the intermediate or neighborhood level, two scales that are intrinsically interconnected. First, in addressing how transportation planning can be better integrated with planning at the regional scale, it is necessary to create reasonably compact and mixed-use urban environments, providing good transit services by structuring the region around transit nodes with mixed higher-density development around them, and reducing spatial segregation. Secondly, the intermediate or neighborhood level is the key scale (though not the only one) at which to address the spatial and accessibility needs of the care tasks that people perform for the reproduction of life. Globally, the majority of mobility of care trips are undertaken by adult women. These trips occur in both unpaid and paid capacities; in the latter case, within formal and informal sectors of the economy. Contributions could address policy frameworks, spatial dimensions, projects and plans, synergies between modes, technological innovations (e.g., mobility-as-a-service platforms), behavioral shifts, regulatory fragmentation, data interoperability, and affordability. The Issue aims to identify scalable approaches for cities transitioning toward low-carbon, inclusive mobility systems. Potential topics include, but are not limited to: - Case studies of successful public shared mobility integration.  - Policy and governance models addressing regulatory and operational barriers.  - Technological advancements (e.g., MaaS, AI-driven optimization).  - Equity implications (e.g., affordability, rural/urban divides).  - Behavioral insights into mode-shift incentives and barriers.