Technical_Proposal_-_572-26_Transit_Development_Plans_-_NelsonNygaard_Submittal.pdf

410 N MICHIGAN AVENUE, SUITE 1600 CHICAGO, IL 60611 312-526-3148 FAX 503-228-2320 nelsonnygaard.com

October 2, 2025

Ohio Department of Transportation

RE: 572-26 Transit Development Plans

Dear members of the selection committee, On behalf of Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc., we are pleased to submit this proposal to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) for Transit Development Plans and other transit plans. We are excited about continuing our work with ODOT and its transit partners, offering a core team with deep knowledge of Ohio as well as a bench of national experts to bring you an expanded range of services for this contract.

Nelson\Nygaard is an industry leader in holistic planning for all modes of transportation. We believe that by giving people transportation choices, communities achieve their larger goals for equity, sustainability, economic development, and healthy living. We have considered the needs of ODOT and the Ohio transit systems to be supported through this contract, and we are proposing a team of tailored partner firms: SRF, MurphyEpson, Access Planning, and Sharp Point.

Our proposed project leadership team includes Sam Wright, Amy Pettine, and Gwen Griffin. This team has collaborated individually and collectively on multiple transit projects nationwide and over a dozen in Ohio. Sam and Gwen have led or supported seven TDPs for ODOT and understand what it takes to deliver a successful planning project locally and regionally. They will be available to ODOT and Ohio transit agencies throughout the contract period. In addition, as the overall contract manager, Sam will hold responsibility for quality control and quality assurances. In addition to Sam, if cases arise where our team does not meet your expectations, Amy Pettine in her role as Principal-in-Charge, is also available to redirect project work, reassign staff, and/or take corrective actions to ensure projects stay on track.

We hope you will recognize the strengths of our qualifications, staff capabilities, and firm experience as indications of our capacity to carry out this contract. We acknowledge receipt of the responses to questions.

If we can provide any additional information about our firm or this proposal, please do not hesitate to contact Sam Wright at samwright@nelsonnygaard.com or 312-596-6897, or me at jwieland@nelsonnygaard.com or 206-576-3938. Sam is the main contact for this project, and I am authorized to negotiate with ODOT in connection with this effort.

Sincerely, Sam Wright Jennifer Wieland Contract Manager Managing Director

Transit Development Plans | Proposal

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Table of Contents Vendor Qualifications Nelson\Nygaard

SRF

MurphyEpson Access Planning Sharp Point Project Experience Staffing Plan Team Organization Key Staff Resumes & Availability Proposed Work Plan DBE Participation Plan

Appendices Appendix A: Required Forms

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VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS

Nelson\Nygaard

We put people first.

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. is an internationally recognized firm committed to developing transportation systems that promote vibrant, sustainable, and accessible communities. Founded by two women in 1987, Nelson\Nygaard has grown from its roots in transit planning to a full-service transportation firm with over 170 people in offices across the United States and Canada. In keeping with the values set by our founders, Nelson\Nygaard puts people first. We recognize that transportation is not an end by itself but a platform for achieving broader community goals of mobility, equity, economic development, and healthy living.

Our hands-on, national experience informs but doesn’t dictate local solutions. Built on consensus and a multimodal approach, our plans are renowned as practical and implementable.

Transit planning is at the core of Nelson\Nygaard’s practice. Our national and international experience covers all types of transit, from the largest and most complex transit systems to small, rural systems. We specialize in redesigning existing services to make them more effective, developing new services such as light rail, BRT, and streetcar, and crafting Transit Master Plans that set practical strategies to move transit from today into the future. Our approach is comprehensive, collaborative, and creative. Working together, we help identify needs and opportunities to develop practical plans that communities will embrace.

Recent Ohio Experience:

ODOT Transit Development Plans On-Call (with MurphyEpson and SRF) − Washington County Transit Governance and Funding Study − Hancock County TDP − Jackson County TDP − Athens County TDP − Marion County Transit TDP − FRS Transportation (Adams, Brown, and Highland Counties) TDP − Pickaway County TDP

COTA NextGen (with MurphyEpson) COTA Short-Range Transit Plan (with MurphyEpson) COTA No-Fare Impact and Feasibility Study NEORide Fare Study ODOT Statewide Transit Needs Study (with MurphyEpson) TARTA Next COA TARTA Flex COA TARTA Wood County Workforce Transit Study (with MurphyEpson and SRF) Sandusky County Workforce Mobility Feasibility Study Pike County Workforce Transit Development Plan

SORTA Bus Stop Optimization Plan

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SRF

Established in 1961, SRF Consulting Group, Inc. employs over 400 engineers, planners, and designers who work with public and private sector clients across the country. As leaders of multi-disciplinary projects, SRF brings a proven track record of moving through project programming, planning and design, and all necessary federal, state, and municipal level project approvals.

SRF’s transit team has worked in LRT, BRT, commuter, fixed-route bus, and paratransit environments and provides expertise in planning new systems as well as refining current ones. We pride ourselves in being responsive and for developing productive and scalable solutions. Our staff has an excellent reputation for building consensus through proven stakeholder participation processes, backed by our technical expertise.

Recent Ohio Experience:

ODOT Transit Development Plans On-Call (with Nelson\Nygaard and MurphyEpson) TARTA Capital Improvement Plan SORTA Title VI Service Standards and Policy

MurphyEpson MurphyEpson, Inc. is a woman-owned, full-service stakeholder engagement and public relations agency with over 35 years of experience helping clients build a better world. The firm has received numerous awards for its creative work and engagement programs and is a recognized expert in making complex public policy initiatives clear. Led by Marie S. Keister, APR, AICP, MurphyEpson builds consensus for major infrastructure investments and public policy initiatives, anticipates and addresses stakeholder and public concerns, and develops creative ways to keep the public informed and engaged.

The MurphyEpson team brings a depth of knowledge in the public infrastructure arena, combined with their decades of grassroots outreach, marketing, PR, branding, research and engagement throughout Ohio. Terms like “infrastructure,” “controversy,” and “community consensus” don’t intimidate they. They know how to translate technical jargon into clear, concise English and create compelling messages and imagery that make it easier for the public to understand, have their voice heard, and shape public policy.

Recent Ohio Experience:

ODOT Transit Development Plans On-Call; ODOT Office of Transit (with Nelson\Nygaard) Wayne County Transit Development Plan; ODOT Office of Transit Strategic Transit Plan (North Star, 2024-2028); DCT Strategic Framework and Action Plan (2020-2024); DCT COTA NextGen (visioning plan); COTA (with Nelson\Nygaard) COTA Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (RIA); COTA COTA Board Retreat; COTA LinkUS East-West Corridor BRT Study; COTA/City of Columbus LinkUS West Broad St. Corridor BRT; COTA/City of Columbus LinkUS East Main St. Corridor BRT; COTA/City of Columbus LinkUS Northwest Corridor BRT; COTA/City of Columbus LinkUS Regional Engagement; COTA METRO BRT Feasibility Study; Akron Metro Statewide Transit Needs Study; ODOT (with Nelson/Nygaard)

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Access Planning Access is a strategic advisory and a transportation planning firm that helps city builders envision the possible, untangle complexity, and make decisions that shape cities for the better. Their team brings together backgrounds in planning, urban design, engineering, project management, public policy, engagement, and Indigenous relations. They have worked both within and for Canada’s and North America’s leading transportation agencies. They know from first-hand public sector experience what it takes to advance ambitious infrastructure and policy projects and initiatives. In 2025, Access became part of Nelson\Nygaard Canada.

Sharp Point At Sharp Point, their mission is to help businesses and organizations achieve sustainable growth and success by providing expert consulting services focused on transit-oriented development and workforce housing development. They take a holistic approach to consulting, focusing on the intent of the place-making, existing laws and adopted plans, infrastructure, mobility mode choice and financial success as public and private development. The owner of Sharp Point is Kimberly Sharp, AICP, with 20+ years of experience in urban planning, development, and public policy. Kim has built a career leading large-scale initiatives that drive regional growth and improve community infrastructure.

Recent Ohio Experience:

COTA NextGen (as client to Nelson\Nygaard and MurphyEpson) Central Ohio LinkUS Initiative COTA LinkUS Community Action Plan COTA Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Action Plan COTA Short-Range and Long-Range Plan

Project Experience Nelson\Nygaard has served hundreds of clients, and we are proud of our record of positive relationships enjoyed both during and after completion of project engagements. The following section demonstrates our most relevant recent projects with their references. The table below demonstrates how our experience meetings the desired qualifications of the RFP, with primary components in bold and secondary unbolded.

Project Outreach &

Engagement Data

Analysis Financial Planning

Transit Policy Development

& Analysis

Transit Service Analysis &

Recommendations

ODOT TDPs On-Call X X X X X

TARTA Projects X X X X X

GPT Vision Plan X X X X X

SRTA On-Call Transit Planning X X X X X

StarMetro Think Transit X X X X X

AAATA On-Call Transit Planning X X X X X

IndyGo On-Call Transit Planning X X X X X

St. Cloud Metro Bus COA X X X X X

Sharp Point

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Statewide, OH

Transit Development Plans Over the past several years, the State of Ohio has increased state support for public transit services. With increased funding, Ohio’s Department of Transportation (ODOT) has increased responsibility to ensure the funding is invested in ways that increase mobility and are invested wisely. As part of managing funds, ODOT works with individual transit agencies to evaluate spending and outcomes, in part by providing transit agencies with technical support to help design, operate and manage their services.

Nelson\Nygaard supported ODOT in these efforts, working with rural and small urban transit agencies to help develop short- and longer-term transit development plans, funding and financial plans and organizational assessments. Nelson\Nygaard has successfully completed seven TDPs:

Hancock County – focused on adjusting transit services to accommodate increasing demand and ensure access to major employment in Findlay.

TDP included a “return on investment” analysis of recommended funding increase.

Athens County – adjusted existing services to increase the efficiency of the network and serve more riders.

Washington County – worked with stakeholders to update governance and funding models as a strategy to increase local and regional participation in the service and both maximize matching resources and be more responsive to local needs and increase.

Marion Area Transit – develop cost-effective and sustainable mobility solutions to expand service into the evening and meet workforce needs.

Study includes employer interviews and employee surveys.

FRS Transportation – serves Adams, Brown and Highland counties in southwest Ohio. The agency has experienced significant growth over the past few years and is looking to increase the efficiency of its service to help manage demand.

Pickaway County - has lost ridership since the COVID-19 pandemic and is looking for recommendations to adjust service to better match demand.

Jackson County - currently lacks a public transit service, but the TDP proposes a phased approach to building upon existing human services transportation to help fill transportation needs for everyday residents of Jackson County.

Project Duration 2023-2025

Total Budget $600,000

Nelson\Nygaard Budget $480,000

Client Ohio DOT Transit Division 1980 West Broad Street Columbus, OH 43223

Contact Chuck Dyer Administrator 614-466-3718 Chuck.Dyer@dot.ohio.gov

Key Staff Sam Wright (NN) Paul Lutey (NN) Marvin Ranaldson (NN) Gwen Griffin (NN) Emily Oaksford (NN) Julia Spande (NN) Brandon Siracuse (SRF) Marie Keister (ME) Leah Salyers (ME)

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Toledo, OH

TARTA Next COA, Flex COA, Wood County Workforce Transit Feasibility Study The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) is the primary transit provider in northwest Ohio. In addition to providing fixed-route services in the Toledo urbanized area, TARTA also operates the Toledo Area Regional Paratransit System (TARPS), the complementary paratransit service, as well as a general-public “Call-A-Ride” service in several suburban areas. After years of funding and investment challenges, TARTA embarked on a strategic planning process in 2020 that focused on improving regional investments and service over the coming decades. A major outcome of TARTA’s new strategic plan was the development of a COA that would evaluate all TARTA’s services and recommend improvements that were aligned with the strategic plan.

Nelson\Nygaard was selected to conduct the COA—branded as TARTA Next—in 2021 and the project has now been completed. The project started with a detailed evaluation of TARTA’s operating environment, including the most detailed information on existing performance the agency has had in many years. Community engagement was critical to the success of TARTA Next and included stakeholder meetings, the formation of a stakeholder advisory committee, on-board and community surveys, a planning game workshop with key stakeholders, and pop-up events throughout the community. Based on this input, a series of alternatives were developed and presented to the community to better understand their priorities. This input was then used to prepare a final report that included a vision plan that provides the agency with a series of strategies that can be implemented over the next 10 years (and beyond).

Systemwide ridership was up 22% in 2024 compared to 2023 and new services and programs continue to be implemented to fulfill the plan. (https://tarta.com/tartanext/).

In 2025, TARTA hired Nelson\Nygaard to review the three-year old TARTA Flex microtransit services and determine how the service could continue past the pilot stage. To date, Nelson\Nygaard has conducted a review of peer agency microtransit services, developed recommendations to modify Flex operations, and provided a three-year financial plan.

As a separate contract, Nelson\Nygaard is currently developing transit service alternatives to help connect the labor pool in Toledo to the job centers in Wood County.

2021-2022; 2025-Ongoing

$325,000

$221,200

Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority 1127 W. Central Ave Toledo, OH 43610

Laura Koprowski, CEO Neil Greenberg, Director of Transit Service Development 419-245-5219 lkoprowski@tarta.com ngreenberg@tarta.com

Key Staff Amy Pettine (PIC) Marvin Ranaldson (DPM/Community Engagement Lead) Paul Lutey (Lead Service Planner) Sam Wright (DPM of Wood County Study and Flex COA) Tom Brown (TDM Lead) https://tarta.com/tartanext/

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Galesburg, IL

Galesburg Public Transit Vision Plan Transit is necessary for many Galesburg residents’ lifestyles and livelihoods, especially for those accessing medical appointments, work, and daily errands.

However, many riders found service to be inefficient and inconvenient, and mobility needs in the greater Knox County surrounding Galesburg remained unmet.

Nelson\Nygaard developed the Galesburg Public Transportation Vision Plan to provide a vision for future service changes that reflect community needs, values, and priorities. This Vision Plan emphasizes the need for reimagined fixed routes and expanded transit options that serve the City of Galesburg and Knox County.

Importantly, it is also an opportunity to evaluate transit service in Galesburg following the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a significant impact on how people use, value, and prioritize transit services.

The Plan provides recommendations for streamlined and expanded fixed-route service within the City, new demand-response service throughout the county, improved bus stop infrastructure, and a new transfer center to improve regional connectivity.

$120,000

$100,000

Galesburg Public Transit 1025 Monmouth Blvd, Galesburg, IL 61401

Kraig Boynton Transit Manager 309-345-3642 kboynton@ci.galesburg.il.us

Sam Wright, PM Gwen Griffin, DPM Julia Spande, Planner

“ Overall, the GPT team is very happy… The study will provide a starting point and road map for GPT to work towards these improvements as well as providing necessary information to IDOT to help secure additional funding to help cover the costs of expanding into the county.”

—Kraig Boynton, Transit Manager, Galesburg Public Transit

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New Bedford, MA

SRTA On-Call Transit Planning The Southeastern Regional Transit Authority serves ten communities in the Greater Fall River-New Bedford area of Massachusetts, providing roughly 2.3 million rides annually. In 2021, SRTA contracted Nelson\Nygaard on an on-call basis to provide a range of technical services, expanding the Authority’s planning capacity. Highlights of the eleven tasks to date include:

Title VI Program Update: Nelson\Nygaard re-wrote SRTA’s Title VI Program, ensuring the document complied with FTA guidance and went above and beyond equity goals.

Service Planning (multiple efforts): Nelson\Nygaard led a redesign of SRTA’s Fall River and New Bedford service. SRTA has successfully implemented the study’s service recommendations, and was recently able to add Sunday service, a top priority identified by riders. Other special studies include planning for future access to South Coast rail stations and a microtransit pilot program, including service design, program evaluation, and new service standards.

Fixed-Route Schedule and System Map Redesign: Nelson\Nygaard led a redesign of the schedules for all 27 bus routes in Fall River and New Bedford and SRTA’s System Map.

Bus Stop Design Guidelines and Stop Improvement Program: Nelson\Nygaard led the development of Bus Stop Design Guidelines; this effort also included a new stop sign design, systemwide bus stop improvement program to optimize stops and prioritize future infrastructure investments.

Demand Response Customer Satisfaction Study: Nelson\Nygaard is leading SRTA’s first DR customer satisfaction survey, conducting rider and employee focus groups, to improve the effectiveness of its accessible transportation advisory committee.

2021-Ongoing

$700,000

$537,073

Southeastern Regional Transit Authority 700 Pleasant Street Suite 530 New Bedford, MA 02740

Shayne Trimbell Director of Transit Planning 774-510-0031 strimbell@srtabus.com

Amy Pettine, PM

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Tallahassee, FL

StarMetro Think Transit: COA and TDP The City of Tallahassee operates StarMetro, the urbanized areas’ primary fixed-route and demand-response transit service provider. In addition to providing transportation services for the Capital Region, StarMetro operates Florida State University (FSU)’s Seminole Express service, a system of eight specially branded campus circulator and connector routes. Think Transit combines a Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) and 10-Year Transit Development Plan (TDP)—a short-term action plan to strengthen existing transit services and a longer-term strategy for system development.

Nelson\Nygaard worked with the City of Tallahassee on a review of existing transit markets and service operations to identify ways to capitalize on system strengths and correct service deficiencies. The TDP looks out over a longer horizon to guide transit investment, building from existing conditions with an eye to future transit markets and operational needs to develop a prioritized program of investments.

In a follow up assignment, Nelson\Nygaard helped StarMetro advance its planned Southside Transit Center, a new transit center designed to improve mobility and access for residents in Tallahassee’s Southside, inclusive of two of Tallahassee’s major universities—FSU and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University—as well as some of Florida’s poorest zip codes, most of which are areas of persistent poverty. Using funding provided by the FTA’s “Helping Obtain Prosperity for Everyone (HOPE) grant, Nelson\Nygaard worked directly with Southside stakeholders and community members to create a transit service plan around their needs and priorities. In the first nine months of 2023, our team held a community dinner, three rounds of focus groups, countless interviews, and several small group meetings and presentations. The efforts to build partnerships and earn trust have been successful both in ways that StarMetro can improve mobility in the short-term; it also helped our team put together a transit service improvement plan that has the support of the community.

2021–2022

$459,000

$232,000

StarMetro 555 Appleyard Drive Tallahassee, FL 32304

Andrea Rosser Transit Planning Manager 850-891-5196 andrea.rosser@talgov.com

Amy Pettine, PIC Emily Oaksford, DPM Gwen Griffin, Planner

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Ann Arbor, MI

AAATA On-Call Transit Planning Nelson\Nygaard is supporting the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (TheRide), helping implement the agency’s long range transit plan. To date, tasks have included the following:

Quality of Service Analysis: Nelson\Nygaard is conducting a “quality of service” analysis (QSA) of AAATA’s services, including a detailed market analysis. AAATA is looking for improvements to individual route as well as the overall system.

Recommendations will be ready by Fall 2025 for implementation in 2026.

Service Standards and Policies Update: Nelson\Nygaard will update AAATA’s service standards and policies, recognizing the agency’s evolving hierarchy of services. These standards and policies, last updated in 2014, will determine how system resources are allocated to provide high quality service to the community.

Data Warehouse/Storage Project: AAATA collects and uses a lot of data for projects like ridership analysis, KPIs, annual NTD, Short- and Long-Range Planning and Title VI. Often this data is collected as needed, but not accessible and available to support ongoing analysis. Nelson\Nygaard is creating data platforms and tools, so data is more accessible and useful. A first step in the effort is a route evaluation dashboard for the QSA project, which will be a pilot of the data warehousing effort.

Scheduling and Runcutting: Following a reorganization of staff and responsibilities, Nelson\Nygaard will provide a refresher training session on Trapezee software. We are also supporting staff through their upcoming runcuts for May, August and November 2025 bids.

2024-Ongoing

Total Budget

$215,000 (QSA)

$50,000 (Service Standards) $125,000 (Data Warehouse) $50,000 (Scheduling)

Nelson\Nygaard Budget $375,000

Client Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority 2700 S. Industrial Hwy Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Contact Ken Anderson Senior Transit Planner Planning & Innovation KAnderson@TheRide.org 734-794-1872

Key Staff Sam Wright, DPM Gwen Griffin, Planner Julia Spande, Planner mailto:KAnderson@TheRide.org

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Indianapolis, IN

IndyGo Planning Services On-Call Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IndyGo) hired Nelson\Nygaard holds an on-call contract with Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IndyGo) to perform services in several areas, including transit route and service planning, computerized GIS mapping, route, and system service analysis.

The Mobility-on-Demand (MOD) Study focused on determining whether microtransit or other emerging mobility options can be successfully deployed in the IndyGo service area. The Nelson\Nygaard team conducted a mobility-on-demand market assessment to determine a potential microtransit pilot service area. This assessment aggregated data on bus ridership, activity centers, land use and demographic characteristics, and neighborhood design to determine neighborhoods where different microtransit service models—such as fixed-route replacement services or first/last-mile connections—may be successful.

In the next phase of the study, the Nelson\Nygaard team worked with IndyGo staff to determine whether to proceed with a microtransit pilot and developed an implementation and evaluation strategy for both the pilot and future mobility-on-demand deployments. IndyGo has implemented the pilot recommendation. In the second phase of the network redesign, the team worked with IndyGo staff, stakeholders, and the public to identify changes to the proposed network and develop a detailed five-year implementation strategy.

The Comprehensive Operational Analysis was split into three phases. The first phase included an evaluation of bus network redesign in the context of realized and projected changes in mobility patterns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Nelson\Nygaard team is currently using the Replica Trends platform to evaluate how total travel and travel flows changed throughout 2020. The team will then evaluate how these changes impact the network changes and implementation strategy outlined in the Marion County Transit Plan.

In a second study phase, the team will work with IndyGo staff, stakeholders, and the public to identify any needed changes to the proposed network and develop an implementation strategy. The third phase will build upon the COA scopes of work of Phases I and II. It will offer the support that will be needed to implement the 2027 Future Service Plan, when that’s adopted, within a fiscally constrained environment.

Phase III is an opportunity to maintain IndyGo's ability to respond to changing situations or circumstances while at the same time maintaining a hold on the conflicting community values, competing priorities, and the choices and tradeoffs that have been made in the development of the improved network redesign, especially as it relates to the need to remain in compliance with Senate Enrolled Act No. 176 and Title 8 of Indiana Code.

COA: 2020-Ongoing

MOD: 2021

COA: $570,000

MOD: $74,000

COA: $570,000

MOD: $74,000

Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IndyGo) 1501 W. Washington St.

Indianapolis, IN 46222

Brooke Thomas, Director of Strategic Planning 317-559-4939 Bthomas@indygo.net

Amy Pettine; MOD, PM Paul Lutey; NDR, DPM

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St. Cloud, MN

St. Cloud Metro Bus COA & LRTP Metro Bus Forward is a COA and Long-Range Transit Plan that outlines a vision for the future of Metro Bus. The study provides cost-neutral recommendations for improving transit services to meet the needs of the communities of St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids, Sartell and Waite Park as well as options for improving services when additional revenue sources are available.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Metro Bus has experienced dramatic changes in how the community uses transit services, largely brought on by the pandemic, as well as enrollment changes at St. Cloud State University. To address these issues and maintain a focus on the future, Metro Bus retained Nelson\Nygaard to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of their transit services, solicit community values and priorities, and develop a future service plan that more efficiently and effectively serves the community.

Metro Bus Forward included several rounds of data analysis and community engagement to learn about the needs of the community, including an on-board passenger survey, two community surveys, and focused engagement with community stakeholders. Nelson\Nygaard is also assisting Metro Bus with implementation tasks leading up to rolling out the new service changes in early 2026.

2022-2024

$385,500

$306,300

St. Cloud Metropolitan Transit Commission 2665 Franklin Ave NE St. Cloud, MN 56304

Dave Green, Chief Operations Officer 320-258-6885 dgreen@stcloudmtc.com

Paul Lutey, Project Manager

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Oshkosh, WI

Go Transit (Oshkosh) Transit Development Plan In 2023, ECWRPC hired SRF to conduct GO Transit’s 2024-2028 Transit Development Plan on behalf of the City of Oshkosh. The project included the following technical tasks, as well as extensive public outreach:

Comprehensive analysis of existing transit route performance, including peer analysis and interactive maps/dashboards

Demographic analysis of existing or potential transit markets Evaluation of potential improvements

− Route alignment changes − Fare and policy changes − Microtransit feasibility

Implementation assistance − Scheduling and interlining − Bus stop evaluation

SRF helped manage diverse local stakeholders and build consensus for future transit improvements. The plan’s final recommendations were adopted by the City of Oshkosh Common Council on April 9, 2024.

2023-2024

Client Contact Casey Peters, GIS Analyst, East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, 920.751.4770, cpeters@ecwrpc.org

Key Staff Joe Kapper Hana Randle

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STAFFING PLAN

Team Organization The structure of our project team is illustrated in the chart below. Over the following pages, we have included brief resumes of each key staff member’s qualifications, along with their availability for this contract.

Nelson\Nygaard staff is fully available and capable of performing the work as mentioned in this RFP. Our staff, although working on a few projects at once, are trained to balance the needs of clients. We pride ourselves on getting our work done, and a good portion of our work is from repeat clients because they are happy with the quality of our work and our ability to meet deadlines.

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Key Staff Resumes & Availability

Sam Wright Title: Associate Principal | Role: Contract Manager | Availability: 40%

Sam has more than ten years of experience completing transit service plans and transit feasibility studies. He specializes in providing service recommendations for small to medium-size transit agencies and determining the local transit demand in cities across the country. Sam uses his skills in urban design and geospatial analysis to break down intricate transit solutions for local communities to make informed transit decisions. Sam understands the needs and processes of working with local municipalities, regional planning agencies, state DOTs, and federal agencies.

Education M.U.P., Transportation and Infrastructure, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, MA B.A., Urban Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Experience Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Associate Principal, 2025-Present; Senior Associate 2022–2025; Associate, 2015–2018

Transit Development Plans (TDP) On-Call, Ohio Department of Transportation, 2023–2025. Nelson\Nygaard is working with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Transit Division to assist rural and small urban agencies across the state of Ohio to update their transit plans. As deputy project manager, Sam developed scopes of work for multiple Nelson\Nygaard-led teams.

– Hancock County Transit Development Plan, Hancock Area Transportation Services (Findlay, OH) 2023-2024.

Hancock Area Transportation Services developed its first Transit Development Plan in two decades to determine the potential for enhanced transit services in Hancock County and Findlay, OH, the largest city in Ohio without fixed route transit service. As the project manager, Sam led the analysis of current on-demand services in Hancock County and determined a phased implementation plan for future transit opportunities.

– Transit Development Plan, FRS Transportation (Hillsboro, OH) 2025. Operating in Highland, Adams, and Brown counties, FRS Transportation has seen significantly higher ridership over the past three years. As the principal-in-charge, Sam is advising the Nelson\Nygaard team and FRS Transportation on potential operating improvements and capital needs to increase available transit services.

Pike County Workforce Mobility Feasibility Study, Community Action Transit System (Waverly, OH) 2025. After receiving a Workforce Mobility Partnership Program grant, the Community Action Commission of Pike County, which operates the Community Action Transit System, hired Nelson\Nygaard to develop their first transit study. As the project manager, Sam is leading the service and financial analysis.

Wood County Worklink Study, Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (Toledo, OH) 2025. As one of the highest growing job centers in Northwest Ohio, Wood County mostly sits outside the TARTA service area and does not have county-wide transit services. While a few municipalities provide demand-response services, there is no transit solution for job access to major manufacturing and industrial areas in Wood County. As the deputy project manager, Sam is developing the transit service alternatives to help connect the labor pool in Toledo to the job centers in Wood County.

TARTA Flex Comprehensive Operational Analysis, Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (Toledo, OH) 2025. TARTA hired Nelson\Nygaard to review the three-year old TARTA Flex microtransit services and determine how the service could continue past the pilot stage. As the deputy project manager, Sam oversaw the review of peer agency microtransit services, developed recommendations to modify Flex operations, and provided a three-year financial plan.

Short-Range Transit Plan, Central Ohio Transit Authority (Columbus, OH) 2025-Ongoing. After the passing of the LinkUs funding referendum, Nelson\Nygaard is developing a SRTP to evaluate existing services and roll-out the first five years of additional transit services. As the deputy project manager, Sam is overseeing the transit market and service analysis, including the development of online dashboards.

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Amy Pettine Title: Senior Principal | Role: Principal-in-Charge | Availability: 15%

Amy is skilled at communicating the value of transit and building trust between transit agencies and communities. From more than 20 years of public- and private-sector experience, Amy understands the organizational challenges of transit agencies, as well as their potential to have significant positive impacts on economic development, public health, and sustainability.

She makes the most of constrained resources to lead transformative projects that highlight the fundamental role quality transit plays in supporting vibrant cities and regions, and her successes have led to more investment in transit in the communities she has worked. Prior to joining Nelson\Nygaard, Amy served in various leadership roles, including Interim Chief Executive Officer, at the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority. At RIPTA, Amy helped her agency change fare technology and implement one of the first fare capping policies in the country.

Education M.A., City Planning, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA B.S., Public and Community Service Studies, Providence College, Providence, RI

Experience Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Senior Principal, 2019–Present

COTA No-Fare Study, Central Ohio Transit Authority (Columbus, OH) 2021-Ongoing. Amy serves as stakeholder and community engagement lead to support efforts to assess the feasibility and impacts of no-fare services. Engagement efforts include stakeholder interviews, bus operator and rider focus groups, and business and community surveys.

SRTA On-Call Transit Planning, Southeastern Regional Transit Authority (New Bedford, MA) 2021-Ongoing. Amy serves as project manager for this on-call to provide a range of technical services, expanding the Authority’s planning capacity.

Tasks thus far have included a Title VI update, Bus Stop Improvement Plan, South End Fixed-Route Redesign, Maintenance Facility Siting, Demand Response Customer Service, Performance Standards, On-Board Surveys and Fixed-Route Schedule Redesign.

LRTA On-Call Transit Planning, Lowell Regional Transit Authority (Lowell, MA) 2024-Ongoing. Amy serves as project manager for this on-call to provide a range of technical services, expanding the Authority’s planning capacity. Tasks thus far have included Rider Information materials, Paratransit Comprehensive Analysis and Software Procurement Support, Fixed Route Service Analysis and a Title VI update.

WRTA On-Call Planning Transit Services, Worcester Regional Transit Authority (Worcester, MA) 2023-Ongoing. Amy serves as principal-in-charge for this on call to provide a range of technical services expanding the Authority’s planning capacity. Tasks thus far have included a comprehensive analysis of transit services in three communities in WRTA’s service area and recommending transit improvements to grow ridership and provide equitable transit access throughout the region.

MRTA On-Call Technical Planning Assistance, Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (Fitchburg, MA) 2024-Ongoing.

Amy services as principal-in-charge for this on call to provide a range of technical services expanding the Authority’s planning capacity. Tasks thus far have included a Fitchburg-Leominster Fixed-Route Service Analysis and a study on the recruitment and retention challenges at MRTA.

RIPTA Long-Range On-Call, Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (Statewide, RI) 2023-Ongoing. Amy services as principal-in-charge for this on call to provide a range of technical services expanding the Authority’s planning capacity.

Tasks thus far have included Title VI Fare Equity Analysis, Paratransit Policy Review and ADA Pilot Expansion Study, Kingston Station Mobility Hub, Travel Training Network, Bus Stop Design Guidelines, Service Standards, RAISE grant, and Transit Master Plan update.

Fiscal Sustainability Study, IndyGo (Indianapolis, IN) 2025-Ongoing. Amy services as the project manager for this study focused on identifying strategies to improve fiscal health and performance of the transit agency.

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Gwen Griffin Title: Senior Associate | Role: Deputy Contract Manager | Availability: 45%

Gwen is committed to providing communities with safe and accessible transit service. Gwen specializes in GIS analysis and transit data management, bringing spatial and quantitative analysis skills to Nelson\Nygaard’s transit practice. Prior to joining Nelson\Nygaard, Gwen worked for the Greater Richmond Transit Company in Richmond, VA. During her time there, Gwen focused on analyzing ridership trends, performance metrics, and managing amenity distribution.

Education M.A., Urban and Regional Planning, Metropolitan Planning, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA B.S., Urban and Regional Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA

Experience Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.

Senior Associate I, 2025 – Present; Associate I/II/III, 2021–2025

Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Technical Planning Assistance On-Call (various locations) o FRS Transportation, Adams, Brown, and Highland Transit Development Plan, Adams, Brown, and Highland counties, Ohio 2025. Gwen served as deputy project manager to conduct a multistep planning process that outlines capital and operational service improvement strategies for FRS Transportation. The study included in-person rider and stakeholder outreach to identify opportunities for future growth and meeting community transportation needs.

o Jackson County Jobs & Family Services/ODOT, Jackson County Transit Development Plan, Jackson County, Ohio 2024-2025. Gwen is serving as deputy project manager to conduct a multistep planning process that outlines recommendations to implement a public transit agency in Jackson County Ohio. The study includes developing rural countywide transportation service and establishing a future funding and governance structure for the agency.

o HATS (Hancock Area Transportation Services) Hancock County Transit Development Plan, Hancock County, Ohio 2023-2024. Gwen served as project manager to conduct a multistep planning process that outlines recommendations to improve transit services in Hancock County and an implementation roadmap for improving transit services over the next decade.

Greater Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) TRIPS Public Transportation Workforce Mobility Feasibility Study, Sandusky County, Ohio 2025-Ongoing. Gwen is serving as project manager to conduct a multistep planning process that outlines service options that best align transit services with workforce mobility needs in Sandusky County informed by feedback from riders, major employers, and community organizations. The study includes understanding the underlying demand for transit services in Fremont and Sandusky County and community engagement with riders and key stakeholders.

Pike County Community Action Commission (Community Action Transportation Services) Workforce Mobility Feasibility Study, Pike County, Ohio 2025-Ongoing. Gwen is serving as deputy project manager to conduct a multistep planning process that outlines service options that best align transit services with workforce mobility needs informed by feedback from riders, major employers, and community organizations.

TARTA (Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority) Comprehensive Operational Analysis, Toledo, Ohio, 2021–2022. Gwen served as an associate planner on this comprehensive operational analysis to analyze the current state of TARTA’s transit network and assist project managers with peer review research, community engagement (i.e., survey development), and any additional tasks orders.

GPT (Galesburg Public Transportation) City of Galesburg Service Audit and Analysis, Galesburg, Illinois, 2023-2024.

Gwen served as project manager and deputy project manager on this comprehensive operational analysis to analyze the current state of GPT’s transit system, conduct public engagement with community members, assist in drafting a proposed bus network, and conduct a transfer site assessment for future relocation. The project included in-person community and stakeholder engagement.

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Paul Lutey, Principal, Nelson\Nygaard | Transit Planning | Availability: 35% M.S. Community and Regional Planning, The University of Texas at Austin | B.S. Biological Sciences, Colorado State University

Paul Lutey has over 20 years of transportation and urban planning experience and has been with Nelson\Nygaard for most of his career. His local and national transit planning experience focuses on comprehensive operational analyses (COAs), TDPs, ridership forecasts, implementation planning, and complete transit network redesigns. Paul also has extensive experience with public engagement processes and has developed an iterative process that balances community needs and desires with financial and political realities.

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TDP, Athens County, Athens County, OH

TARTA Next COA, Wood County Workforce Mobility Study, & TARTA Flex COA

St. Cloud Metro Bus Forward

Emily Oaksford, AICP, Associate Principal, Nelson\Nygaard | Transit Planning | Availability: 40% M.C.R.P., City and Regional Planning, University of Pennsylvania | B.S., Psychology, minor in Environmental Studies, University of Florida

Emily is passionately committed to better connect communities with safe, accessible, and affordable transportation options in her professional and personal life. As a practicing planner for 15 years, Emily’s experience is largely based in the private sector working for public clients. She helps manage, support, and execute projects at Nelson\Nygaard ranging from city-wide transit plans and transit corridor re-designs to bicycle and pedestrian plans, parking studies, and zoning code audits.

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ODOT TDPs On-Call Villanova University Shuttle

Study NFTA-Metro Paratransit Access

Line StarMetro Think Transit COA

TDP

Marvin Ranaldson, Senior Associate, Nelson\Nygaard | Outreach | Availability: 40% B.A., Urban Studies and Urban Planning, Levin College of Urban Affairs, Cleveland State University

Marvin has been active in multimodal transportation for over a decade, working in the private, public, and non-profit sectors.

At Nelson\Nygaard, Marvin has worked with clients on navigating the new mobility landscape, assisting them in integrating Microtransit and Ridesharing into their paratransit operations. As transit administrator for the City for Sandusky, he advanced strategies that improved mobility for the residents of the city and county.

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ODOT TDPs On-Call

TARTA COA

Cleveland Vision Zero Action

Plan Huntsville Transit Study

Julia Spande, Associate Planner, Nelson\Nygaard | Data Analysis & GIS | Availability: 45% M.R.P., Environmental and Land Use Planning, Cornell University | B.A., Environmental and Urban Studies, Creative Writing, University of Chicago

Julia brings a passion for sustainability, equity, and storytelling to her role as a transit planner. Julia understands the benefits of public transit for environmental and community health, so she uses her background in journalism, community engagement, and data analysis to collaborate with communities to build accessible and equitable transit systems.

Prior to joining Nelson\Nygaard, Julia worked as a freelance journalist and environmental and disability justice organizer in Chicago.

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ODOT TDPs On-Call (Adams, Brown Counties, Hancock County)

Sandusky County Workforce Mobility Study

AAATA On-Call Transportation Planning

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Thomas Brown, Principal, Nelson\Nygaard | Workforce Transportation | Availability: 15% M.S., Urban Planning, Hunter College | B.A., History, Ohio State University

Tom has more than twenty years of experience in transportation planning, with a special focus on parking management, Transportation Demand Management, and curb management planning. Years of engaging diverse, passionate, and thoughtful stakeholders on all aspects of parking and transportation, in a wide variety of contexts and opportunity environments, has afforded Tom the capacity to offer his clients a clear assessment of best available options, the essential pros and cons of each, and a viable path forward in serving transportation, growth, and broader community goals.

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TARTA Wood County Mobility Study

Confidential Tech Sector Employers TDM and Shuttle Programs

American University Shuttle Study

Joseph Kapper, AICP, Project Manager, SRF | Transit Planning | Availability: 65% MURP, University of Minnesota | B.S., Geography, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Joseph is a planner and project manager with a broad background in transportation policy analysis, transit planning, community development, and effective public program and project delivery. As a member of SRF’s Transit Planning practice, his focus areas include leading strategic planning efforts for transit agencies, transit service and operations planning, university campus transit planning, state and federal compliance, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) planning, and community engagement. He works with transit managers and policymakers in a variety of settings to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of a variety of transit modes.

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TARTA Capital Improvement Plan

Oshkosh Transit Development Plan

Stevens Point Transit System Transit Development Plan

Janesville Transit Development Plan

Alec More, AICP, Project Manager, SRF | Transit Planning | Availability: 75% MURP, University of Minnesota | B.S., Geography, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Alec is a transportation planner with 18 years of planning and public policy experience. He specializes in project management for transit capital infrastructure projects, systems and operations plans, coordinated land use and transportation plans, economic analysis modeling, and population demographic analyses. He has extensive experience with NEPA regulatory requirements and has served as a lead author and analyst for Environmental Assessments, Environmental Impact Statements, and Categorical Exclusions.

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Billings MET Five-Year Transit Development Plan

LSCOG BFE Transit Implementation Study

Loudoun County Transit (VA)

COA

SoDo (FL) Mobility Study

Hana Randle, Transit Planner, SRF | Data Analysis & GIS | Availability: 75% MURP, University of Minnesota | B.A., Urban Studies, University of Minnesota

Hana works on transit planning and travel demand forecasting projects at SRF. She has experience studying multi-modal travel behavior and transportation equity from a holistic data-oriented perspective. For her Master of Urban and Regional Planning capstone project, she also completed a comprehensive analysis of transit access to non-work destinations in the Twin Cities, ultimately guiding development of the F Line BRT. She is proficient in software programs including: STOPS, ArcGIS, and R. Her work at SRF focuses on spatial and non-spatial data analysis, transit ridership forecasting, and accessibility analysis.

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WisDOT Transit Management Performance Review

Valley Transit…