SUMMARY

Grand Valley Metropolitan Council (GVMC), the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Grand Rapids, MI metropolitan area, in partnership with the City of Grand Rapids, is currently accepting proposals from firms interested in being selected to develop an updated Downtown Circulation Study that will function as a district-level multimodal network and gateway strategy for Downtown Grand Rapids while reinforcing regional access. The GVMC transportation planning area is designated as a Transportation Management Area (TMA) and includes all of Kent County and the eastern portion of Ottawa County.

GVMC intends to select one firm or team to provide services as outlined in the RFP found at www.gvmc.org/rfp. GVMC receives federal and state grant funding and other funding from local participating governments.

This contract is contingent upon the continued availability of funding from the federal transportation planning grant awarded to GVMC. In the event that such funding is reduced, delayed, or terminated for any reason, GVMC reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate this contract, in whole or in part, without penalty or further obligation.

STUDY BACKGROUND

Downtown Grand Rapids is undergoing a period of significant transformation and growth. Major private and public investments, including new residential development, major healthcare and employment expansions, and regionally significant large-scale event venues such as the 12,000-seat riverfront Acrisure Amphitheater (opened May 2026) and 8,500-seat Amway Stadium (opening 2027) are reshaping travel patterns, trip volumes, and mobility expectations within and adjacent to the downtown core.

Since completion of the 2016 Downtown Circulation Study, the City of Grand Rapids and its regional partners have advanced several significant planning initiatives. At the local level, the City adopted the Community Master Plan (CMP), completed the Parking Investment Strategy, and implemented recommendations from the Equitable Economic Development and Mobility Strategic Plan, which established a stronger policy foundation for equitable mobility, curb management, and strategic capital investment. At the regional level, the Grand Valley Metro Council (GVMC) has advanced its 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), Active Transportation Plan (ATP), Vision Zero 2050 Regional Safety Action Plan, and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) completed the US-131 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study evaluating long-term freeway and interchange improvements. The Rapid completed its Transit Master Plan (TMP) casting a vision for the future of public transport in 20 years. Joint efforts between MDOT and the City are underway to complete the environmental review process for the reconstruction of the Wealthy Street and US-131 Interchange, which may involve having US-131 run over Wealthy Street, (“the Wealthy Flip”).

Together, these efforts reflect evolving priorities related to safety, equity, multimodal access, regional connectivity, and strategic investment. The updated Downtown Circulation Study will align with and detail opportunities to implement these policies within the downtown core.

Downtown Grand Rapids now faces a new set of circulation challenges and opportunities:

• Increasing person-trip demand associated with new residential, medical, and entertainment developments
• The need to support a “Park Once” philosophy and support internal movement by walking, bicycling, transit, and micromobility
• Gateway and interchange conditions that shape how residents, visitors, commercial deliveries, and emergency vehicles enter and exit downtown
• Evolving vehicle types, including higher-speed electric bicycles and scooters, operating within constrained urban spaces
• State-imposed minimum speed limits and corridor configurations that require creative approaches to safety and speed management
• Potential long-term modifications to freeway interchanges that influence downtown access and street network performance

While the 2016 Downtown Circulation study primarily emphasized circulation north of I-196, the City now seeks a more comprehensive and future-focused evaluation of how the downtown street network functions as an integrated multimodal system within a regional context.

STUDY PURPOSE

The Downtown Circulation Study will function as a district-level multimodal network and gateway strategy for Downtown Grand Rapids.

This study will evaluate and refine how people enter, exit, and move within downtown across all modes while strengthening safety, reinforcing regional access, and supporting transformative development. The eventual completed Downtown Circulation Study will identify and scope future public infrastructure projects in alignment with the City’s values and in a manner that reinforces Downtown Grand Rapids as a vital economic, cultural, and community center for the city and broader region.

To accomplish this, the Downtown Circulation Study will further:

• Evaluate the performance of key gateway corridors and interchanges connecting downtown to US-131 and I-196
• Assess internal circulation patterns within the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) boundary
• Examine opportunities to rebalance street space and evaluate one-way and two-way operational configurations
• Identify practical speed management and safety strategies within statutory constraints
• Support future-ready policy and infrastructure decisions tied to anticipated development
• Provide a phased and implementable framework that advances a “Park Once” philosophy

REGIONAL CONTEXT

The study must address not only local circulation performance but also how downtown mobility interacts with regional travel patterns. While maintaining a primary focus on the downtown street network, the study will also assess and document relevant regional impacts.

The project study area will generally align with the Downtown Development Authority boundary, with focused analysis of primary gateway corridors and freeway access points, including but not limited to:

• US-131 access via Market Avenue, Cherry Street, Pearl Street and Wealthy Street
• I-196 access via Ottawa Avenue and Ionia Avenue
• Primary arterials including Division Avenue, Fulton Street, Bridge Street, Michigan Street, and Wealthy Street

DESIRED OUTCOME

The study partners seek a consultant team capable of delivering more than a catalog of observations or recommendations for further study.

The Downtown Circulation Study should result in:

• A clear framework for how downtown circulation should function over the next 10–20 years
• Actionable recommendations with defined implementation pathways
• Planning-level cost estimates and phasing guidance
• Policy tools and design strategies that can be deployed as development occurs
• A coherent and defensible approach that aligns with adopted City goals and regional priorities

The intent of this study is to guide decision-making, support grant applications, inform capital programming, and provide clarity to regional partners and stakeholders regarding the future of downtown mobility.