Innovation

There is no simple answer to this question. Mapping requires a distinctive skill set. (Our team is trained both as cartographers and in ArcGIS.) And it often requires working with a variety of file types—including shapefiles, Google Earth files, latitude & longitude data, vector & raster layers, zip code files, etc. These projects also often include scrubbing data, evaluating client data for accuracy (since some data can be out of date, etc.), and then analyzing a variety of options to determine the best mapping solution. Given all of these variables, setting timelines must be done on a project-by-project basis.

Absolutely! We actually end up doing very little transit mapping, narrowly defined. We also enjoy:

• Bike mapping, which includes bike routes, rest room locations, food stops and where you can safely park your bike
• Creating conservation walk maps, which are always a lot of fun for our team
• Designing accessibility maps for cities, towns, universities or healthcare campuses, so that children, people in wheelchairs and seniors can navigate the entire area with confidence
• Multi-use development mapping, which can include retail, housing and commercial buildings, alongside efforts to maintain the historical integrity of a community

We work with the client’s economic development and transportation department liaisons, and, when appropriate, we also will work with developers, traffic engineers or architects. If you get us involved at the early development stages, before any construction is started, we can work with all of these parties to contribute to your project more holistically.

Wayfinding is the process of assessing a defined space (street, park, route, campus, town, etc.) and planning out accessible pathways & signage, so that all users of that space can safely and confidently navigate from place to place. All aspects of the space must be considered—including preexisting sidewalks, signs, lines of sight, accessibility options, bus stops, possible destinations, etc.—and final decisions about pathways and signage must consider appropriate language, as well as symbolic, iconographic and other non-verbal methods of communication.

It depends on your needs, and what kind of services or programs you are seeking to promote. For new discrete services (like a new bike trail) or one-time events (like a conservation walk), we can design flyers and other communications in-house that are professionally branded and easy to read. We can also help you get these marketing communications distributed internally.

For larger-scale projects, we can work with you to visually define your project and then ensure identity consistency across, for example, vehicles, signage, maps & schedules, other informational materials and marketing communications. We will work with you to define the scope of your needs and then incorporate those needs into the project proposal, along with with costs and a timeline for development.

Yes! We work with cities, towns and developers to do impact studies and identify risks to wildlife, water flow and topography, so that our clients can rest assured that their new office park or the relocation of their hospital campus, for example, is not detrimentally affecting the surrounding region.

Absolutely. Our team is always reflecting upon the state of the industry, and dreaming up new ways to define and address its challenges. We worry about all kinds of issues: how to track industry best practices… how to collect better data… the effects of new technologies… the psychological aspects of commuter satisfaction… questions of representation, equity and access… You can get a sense of some of our research interests by checking out articles written by and about us, but we also have a number of research projects that are on-going. Feel free to contact our Director of Development directly at lispethn@128bc.org if you have a ‘big picture’ issue that you’d like to discuss.

Transportation Demand Management (TDM) is an intentional program of information-plus-incentives, through which a community or organization helps its membership become aware and become confident users of all their transportation options, across all modes within the system. These modes include in-place infrastructure, ride-sharing, walking, biking, telework, etc. To be successful, this program of information-plus-incentives should effectively counterbalance the incentives to rely upon Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOVs) that preexist thanks to the subsidizing of parking and roads.

TDM regulations include how an organization or community will enact, operate and enforce a new or modified transportation program, and how it will communicate the program’s benefits to its membership. TDM regulations are living documents that evolve over time as populations and conditions change, and are unique to each organization or community. They therefore require a thoughtful process to research and draft.

A common pitfall we encounter is that of design by committee, i.e. when there are too many voices contributing to (and slowing down) the progress of a project. We recommend that your organization delineate a precise team with clearly defined decision-making channels. All relevant agencies or departments can be represented by a handful of main contacts.

Another pitfall we encounter is that of thinking that any problem can be fixed simply with more money. Money cannot fix a lot of things, and this is why our first phase always includes a feasibility analysis. Is it actually possible to find a solution under current conditions? We let our clients know upfront if their problem is truly fixable or not.

A third common pitfall is that of wanting to implement new technology simply because it is new, or on the basis of anecdotal evidence. You cannot solve a perceived problem by beginning with an assumed solution. We make a point of analyzing the roots of the problems that our clients hope to address, and then let that analysis guide us toward potential solutions—technological or otherwise.

And final common pitfall is that of unrealistic time expectations. Again, this is why we focus on the feasibility of a project before jumping into planning or implementation. We are always realistic with our clients about the realities of a project so that they can determine ahead of time whether they can devote the time and money required to make a genuine impact.

We work with a variety of clients. We work with the heads of municipalities’ transportation planning, traffic engineering or economic development departments, and with mayors’ offices. We work with universities to reconfigure their master plans or to provide simulations within the classroom. We also frequently work with commercial developers and large-scale employers.

The first thing you need to do is contact us.

The process always begins with an initial intake conversation, in which we gather high-level information about your needs. We will then come back to you with a more detailed request for information, focused on collecting the data that we need in order to do a preliminary analysis. After this preliminary analysis is complete, we will present you with an exploratory report defining the problems that you face, describing potential solutions and analyzing the feasibility of those solutions.  We always focus on the feasibility of a project before jumping into planning or implementation, because we want our clients to have an honest assessment of whether their problems are truly fixable, and, if the problems are fixable, how much time and money will truly be needed.

We typically provide a flat rate for each phase of the project: For example, the cost for producing an exploratory report would be X dollars, the cost for post-feasibility analysis planning and design would be Y dollars, and the cost for actual implementation would be Z dollars. We will provide you with a proposal for each phase based upon the anticipated staff hours and any outside resources that we may need, and then set an hourly rate for anything requested beyond the scope of that proposal.

It depends on each client’s situation. If we are working with a city or town’s economic development department, they typically have their own funds for encouraging the community’s growth. If we’re working with a transportation department, they typically use Transportation Demand Management (TDM) funds from the state government and assessments from local real estate transactions or taxes.

Sometimes! We keep in touch with the Massachusetts Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), which offers grants and other opportunities, some of which our clients may qualify for. We also may be able to tap into grant funds or capital dollars from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). In either case, we can help clients make connections with the relevant grant-funding agency or, in some cases, help put together the application materials. We can also sometimes facilitate private deals by negotiating with vendors or with connections in other states. Whatever happens, we never move forward with a project until we’ve helped our client ensure that there is a clear plan in place for funding.

We never want to eliminate potential sources or types of data by limiting accepted formats. We will take data in any form. Whatever we get, we make it work. Period.

One of the great things about 12BC is whom we know. We maintain relationships with a wide variety of local, national and international resources to whom we can refer potential consulting clients. Our goal is always to get you what you need at a price that will work for you. If we aren’t the right team for a project, we will find you a group that is.