Grand Valley Metropolitan Council (GVMC), the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Grand Rapids, MI metropolitan area, in partnership with Kent County, is accepting proposals from firms interested in being selected to develop a comprehensive regional mobility study and recommendations for the Kent County area.

Building off previous and ongoing transportation planning efforts, the objectives of this study are to evaluate current mobility services, identify unmet service needs, and recommend integrated solutions for Kent County and surrounding communities, including intensive community engagement.

For the full RFP and proposal guidelines, requirements, and process timeline please visit www.gvmc.org/rfp.

Project Purpose and Description

For more than a decade, Kent County has been the fastest growing Michigan county by total population and third fastest growing in terms of percentage. Since 2010, Kent County's population has grown by more than 55,000. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 33% of that growth (18,500) has occurred within the service area of the region's Interurban Transit Partnership (ITP), The Rapid (primarily the cities of Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood, Walker, Grandville, and East Grand Rapids). Data from the Kent County Essential Needs Task Force estimates that 55% of Kent County's population does not have transit access to areas of employment, medical centers, and major commercial centers. The population outside the public transit system service area faces a range of mobility challenges impacting access to employment, healthcare services, grocery and retail locations, and/or educational and social opportunities.

The extent of the mobility challenges throughout the Kent County area and the range of options to address them are currently not fully understood. In response, Kent County with Grand Valley Metro Council (GVMC)and their partners are proposing to complete a comprehensive mobility study in the region. The objectives of this study are to evaluate current mobility services, identify unmet service needs, and recommend integrated solutions for Kent County and surrounding communities. Much of this study will focus on the needs of Kent County residents. However, it will also include an analysis of gaps and solutions for residents who reside in bordering communities in surrounding counties (Ottawa, Barry, Ionia, Muskegon, Montcalm, and Allegan counties).

The mobility study will include intensive community engagement including a statistically valid regional survey, interviews with key mobility stakeholders, quarterly updates to mobility stakeholders, community focus groups, and on-going community updates. Incorporating multiple engagement strategies is necessary to ensuring all groups are represented and feel comfortable providing input.

In addition to community engagement, the consultants will also review community and regional transportation and master plans to ensure solutions proposed are aligned with, and build upon, previous planning efforts. Finally, the consulting firm will be asked to draw on their own expertise as well as community expertise and national research to propose innovative solutions to mobility challenges that can be scaled and sustained by one of our regional partners. The results of this study will be presented to regional stakeholder groups and residents through in-person and virtual events.

These efforts will be coordinated with other 2023/2024 planning processes and will also build on the deliverables of GVMC's Regional Transportation Demand Management Plan (completed in 2023) and The Rapid's regional transit master plan, which is currently in progress.

With the above context in mind, the purpose of this study is to develop a comprehensive mobility report and recommendations that include recommended funding sources, lead agencies, realistic goals, and that outlines feasible implementation strategies and processes for performance analysis.

Project Scope

1. Stakeholder and Public Outreach and Engagement
   • Develop a comprehensive engagement strategy to ensure meaningful participation by mobility stakeholders, community groups, and the general public.
     • Include a statistically valid regional survey, interviews with key mobility stakeholders, quarterly updates to mobility stakeholders, community focus groups, and on-going community updates.
     • Incorporate multiple engagement strategies to ensure all groups are represented and feel comfortable providing input.
   • Work with Steering and Advisory Committee members/agencies to provide input on technical tasks and work with GVMC and Kent County staff to identify roles and responsibilities.
2. Regional Mobility Needs Assessment and Program Evaluation
   • Compile an inventory of existing conditions, services, funding sources, needs, and gaps.
     • Review and utilize applicable local and regional documents, services, and plans that provide support for mobility in the region, including GVMC's recently completed Regional TDM Plan, needs assessments associated with the 2050 MTP currently under development, etc.
     • Compile an inventory and assessment of existing mobility programs, policies, funding, and operations in the region.
   • Complete a review of mobility programs in regions of similar size and needs as the GVMC region and compile effective approaches that could be implemented in the GVMC region.
   • Complete a gap analysis to identify areas where technology or service development can solve issues and improve mobility options for the entire, diverse, regional community, especially for those that need it most.
   • Complete an evaluation of existing mobility funding structures and sources.
3. Coordinate with and build upon the deliverables of The Rapid's Transit Master Plan, which may include but is not limited to:
   • Additional engagement in outlying townships of Kent County to better understand localized, existing, and future needs, as well as identify partnership opportunities for implementation of TMP recommendations.
   • Investigate intra-County travel needs and trip patterns across the County (not just within and linking to The Rapid's core service area).
   • Identify mobility services and funding sources within and serving Kent County not already covered in the TMP.
   • Further investigate integrated mobility solutions (e.g., car share, micromobility, transportation demand management, non-motorized, etc.).
   • Identify recommendations from the TMP that correspond with the needs and goals of Kent County townships which are not part of the ITP member communities.
   • Synthesize community plans and projects from Kent County townships not already included in the TMP, identifying common goals and partnership opportunities.
4. Best and Promising Practices
   • Recommend mobility solutions that address the unmet needs of residents and businesses not already included in the TMP.
   • Recommend and prioritize reliable and sustainable mobility solutions that meet the unmet needs of residents and businesses.
   • Recommend best and promising mobility practices that will support regional mobility solutions.
5. Funding and Investment Model
   • Recommend funding/investment strategies to support and sustain the recommended countywide mobility solutions.
     • Identify and compare funding opportunities
     • Identify and compare investment models
6. Final Report
   • Final report with appendices
   • Executive Summary
   • Presentation of final plan
   • All report elements should be developed and formatted in a way that is easily digestible for stakeholders and the public

Deliverables

1. Stakeholder and public engagement strategy
2. Monthly progress reports
3. Draft Final Report addressing each of the scope items within the RFP
4. Final Report and presentation