Transportation and mobility are the foundation of daily life–a foundation that is constantly evolving.

The transportation arena is in the middle of incredible upheaval and change. Many communities are embracing the mobility benefits of transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft while simultaneously planning for a future with autonomous vehicles. New policies, programs, and projects are being coupled with an existing and often-aging infrastructure. CDR brings decades of experience working with agencies and stakeholders identifying context specific outcomes and approaches.

CDR brings conflict management skills to the complex transportation challenges. We help governmental agencies and stakeholders collaborate effectively and efficiently.

For over 20 years, CDR has specialized in transportation, the facilitation of interagency deliberations on highway and transit projects, and conducting public involvement and stakeholder engagement around issues that impact communities. CDR effectively handles controversial and conflict-charged situations to bring diverse interests together. We get issues and concerns on the table, and work constructively toward a supportable solution.

Where we add value in transportation + emerging mobility projects: 

  • Stakeholder engagement: reflecting stakeholder input in transportation decisions, and more specifically, applying as necessary conflict management, consensus building, and decision making process to support the stakeholder process  
  • Facilitation for transportation decision making processes: assisting negotiations, and designing and coordinating stakeholder engagement processes
  • Facilitation of collaborative or joint-decision making efforts: partnering efforts between contractors and owners, federal and state agencies, and agencies and municipalities and/or counties 
  • Development of programmatic and Tier 1 NEPA agreements: ensuring that agreements accurately reflect the nature of collaboration, stakeholder input, and areas of consensus and disagreement
  • Development of procedural agreements: coordinating different inter- and intra-agency processes, such as 404 merger agreements 
  • Innovative solutions: supporting win-win solutions that provide for stakeholder interests within legal and institutional frameworks

Examples of our transportation work: 

  1. Emerging Mobility Impact Study (SB-239)
    Emerging technologies, while providing greater mobility options, also place additional demand on the transportation network. As a result of these emerging mobility changes, the Colorado Legislature passed SB19-239, charging the Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Energy Office (CEO) to convene a working group of experts and representatives to examine the emerging mobility industry and its impacts on emissions and congestion. CDR facilitated the diverse Stakeholder Working Group (SWG), which met from early summer to October 2019. The SWG considered recommendations on how to incentivize the adoption of zero-emission vehicles, like charging stations and multiple passenger ride sharing strategies. The SWG dove into issues around equity, fees, electric vehicle adoption, reducing congestion, and safety. At the end of 2019, CDOT compiled meeting information and released a final report to the legislature outlining options for the future of Emerging Mobility in Colorado.
  2. CDOT I-25 Central PEL
    The I-25 Central corridor has the highest average daily traffic in all of Colorado, which continues to worsen with significant residential and economic development in the metro Denver area. The PEL stakeholder engagement process meets with key representatives of affected groups to determine the impacts, both positive and negative, of potential improvements to the corridor. CDR planned and managed an outreach strategy to engage key stakeholder representatives, disseminate information about the PEL to broader stakeholder communities, receive and incorporate input from affected stakeholders, and ensure transparency throughout the PEL process.
  3. I-70 Mountain Corridor Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) Process
    The I-70 Mountain Corridor CSS Process brings together a multi-disciplined, multi-interest stakeholder group to discuss, debate, and capture what they respect and will work to preserve in the I-70 mountain corridor. The CSS stakeholders provide technical expertise, process guidance, and feedback into the transportation decision-making, planning and construction processes. The multi-year projects give agency to mountain communities in influencing decision-making, shaping priorities for CDOT, and structuring the communication protocols between themselves and CDOT. CDR’s facilitation and outreach work has driven the Westbound Peak Period Shoulder Lane NEPA process; the Floyd Hill NEPA process; and the Westbound Peak Period Shoulder Lane construction process.

Learn more:

Jeffrey Range
Transportation + Emerging Mobility Practice Lead
jrange@mediate.org