Press Releases November 3, 2021

Connetics Transportation Group Joins Nelson\Nygaard, Expanding Firm’s Transit, Modeling, and Analytics Expertise

Partnership creates the largest transit planning practice in the U.S.

ATLANTA, November 3, 2021—Acclaimed transportation planning and design firm Nelson\Nygaard announced today that Connetics Transportation Group (CTG), a women-owned transportation planning firm, has joined the organization. The strategic partnership expands Nelson\Nygaard’s transit planning and multimodal design services to include transportation modeling and big data analytics, enhancing the firm’s offerings across the country.

“CTG and Nelson\Nygaard are a perfect match,” said Nelson\Nygaard Managing Director Jennifer Wieland. “From our founding as women-owned firms to our focus on transit planning to our shared values of equity, sustainability, and livability, our combined expertise strengthens both firms and presents incredible opportunities for our clients, our communities, our partners, and our staff.”

“From our founding as women-owned firms to our focus on transit planning to our shared values of equity, sustainability, and livability, our combined expertise strengthens both firms and presents incredible opportunities for our clients, our communities, our partners, and our staff.”

—Jennifer Wieland, Nelson\Nygaard Managing Director

Addressing an urgent need

Founded in Atlanta in 2005 on the idea of connecting people and places, CTG has since become a nationally recognized firm. It joins Nelson\Nygaard and its parent company, Perkins&Will, a global architecture and design firm, at a time when mobility has never been more critical. Throughout the pandemic, transit systems have carried people—including essential workers—to jobs and services, keeping cities and regions moving. In the years ahead, Wieland notes, transit and integrated mobility systems will become even more important for an equitable post-pandemic recovery, a practical response to the climate crisis, and a reliable path to resilient and adaptable communities.

Perkins&Will’s global research platform provides a critical foundation on which Nelson\Nygaard and CTG can help clients accomplish those goals. “The impacts of climate change and COVID-19 have shown us that healthy, resilient cities require safe, dependable, accessible transportation for all. And cities rely on good research, data analytics, and sound strategic counsel to provide that level of resilience,” says Perkins&Will CEO Phil Harrison. “That’s why combining CTG with Nelson\Nygaard is so meaningful. It ensures our clients have access to the best tools, the best talent, and the best guidance possible.”

A comprehensive transit service assessment requires a solid understanding of existing route performance characteristics. CTG has the means to automatically generate route profiles with its tool “SPOT”, reading in various local data sets.

“Our expertise in transit planning, travel demand modeling, and data analytics, along with our strong client relationships, are perfect complements to Nelson\Nygaard’s holistic transportation service offerings and national reputation. This partnership means that CTG clients will get the same high-quality work and innovative approaches they’ve enjoyed for years, with a broader set of offerings at the ready.”

—Susan Rosales, CTG President

A long-standing partnership

Over the years, CTG has frequently collaborated with Nelson\Nygaard, so the merger is a natural and complementary extension of their partnership. Past and current collaborations include the COTA NextGen 2050 Study; the Cook County Transit Plan; and the Wake County Bus and Short-Range Transit Plans.

In addition, CTG has worked for many of Nelson\Nygaard’s clients and for some of the nation’s largest transit agencies, including LA Metro, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). CTG also supports many state departments of transportation, including Florida and North Carolina, and provides ridership forecasts for major transit corridor projects.

One name, a single vision

As part of the merger, CTG will offer services as Nelson\Nygaard, with both organizations operating as one brand. In effect, Nelson\Nygaard expands to Atlanta, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Raleigh, and Chicago, becoming the largest transit planning practice in the U.S.

“We are thrilled to join forces with Nelson\Nygaard,” said CTG President Susan Rosales. “Our expertise in transit planning, travel demand modeling, and data analytics, along with our strong client relationships, are perfect complements to Nelson\Nygaard’s holistic transportation service offerings and national reputation. This partnership means that CTG clients will get the same high-quality work and innovative approaches they’ve enjoyed for years, with a broader set of offerings at the ready.”

About Nelson\Nygaard

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates 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 offices across the United States. Nelson\Nygaard puts people first, recognizing that transportation is not an end in itself but a platform for achieving broader community goals of mobility, equity, economic development, and healthy living. Built on consensus and a multimodal approach, the firm’s award-winning plans are as innovative as they are implementable. For more information, visit www.nelsonnygaard.com.

About Connetics Transportation Group

Established in 2005 as a woman-owned firm, Connetics Transportation Group, Inc. (CTG) is a transportation planning firm focused on improving the way communities move. While best known for their expertise in transit operations and service planning, CTG’s multi-disciplinary team of planners, schedulers, modelers, and data scientists brings a wealth of experience solving complex problems across all facets of the mobility spectrum. They develop data-driven solutions that are practical, implementable, and above all, community-inspired. For more information, visit www.ctgconsult.com.

Connetics Transportation Group Joins Nelson\Nygaard, Expanding Firm’s Transit, Modeling, and Analytics Expertise

Related Content